


A How To in Avenging

by TheMSKProject



Series: The Marvel MSK Project [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Avengers - Freeform, Banter, Computer hijacking, Conversation, Cute, Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Helicarrier (Marvel), Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Kinda, LATER, LOKI YOU HO PUT IT DOWN, Like really slow, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki is a good guy, Madony Starwell, Marvel - Freeform, Nick Fury is tired, Nick fury is tired of everyone, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Party Crashing, Slow Burn, Soki Laufack, Someone pushed a button they shouldn't've pressed, The MSK Project, The Tesseract (Marvel), Tony Stark Needs a Hug, and add three more characters, for like ten seconds - Freeform, he becomes the blue frosty, loki is a good goo, maybe she meant to do that though, msk, relationship building, the party in germany is lit, we fix things, whoopsie pupsie, you'll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-05-12 09:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19226149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMSKProject/pseuds/TheMSKProject
Summary: What starts as a normal day in New York becomes a B&E gone wrong, and at the worst of times too.Follow Sarah Ridgeback as she is dragged into the events of Avengers 1 with her two compatriots.They can't change the events of the world too much... right?... Right?Of course we don't own the films or the Marvel characters... but we do them better ;)





	1. This is a Really F***ing Bad Idea

**Author's Note:**

> Hello you guys! Welcome to the first book of the MSK, if you just popped by, We hope you enjoy. Here's the scoop!  
> Chapters will drop every Sunday and Wednesday, and there are five books in total. All complete, they just have to be posted. No need to fear that this will be left unfinished. I know, a weight off of our shoulders too!  
> If you'd like to check out more content, such as concept art and teasers.  
> You can bop on over to our Tumblr Page  
> [ The MSK Project](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah and the Crew are snooping. I wonder what they'll find?

      “This is a really bad idea.” They weren’t listening. “Guys, come on! On a scale of one to ten on how bad, this is a really, really fucking bad idea.”

    “That really doesn’t sound all that bad.” Cate waved her hand at me from where she was currently peeking around a corner, and I huffed, wringing my hands.

    “For once, could you please just listen to me? We’re breaking and entering! That’s against the law!”

    “Sarah, we haven’t broken anything, and we just walked into a building.” Maddie shot me a skeptical look, raising her brows and straightening. “You worry too much.”

    I feel a rise in blood pressure. “This isn’t just a building! This is Stark Tower!”

    "It's still a building." Cate mumbled and I nearly hissed, hands thrown into the air, but that was when she decided we were clear to go and started sneaking off on her own, leaving the two of us to catch up. Maddie gave me a wicked grin before trotting after her and I hesitated before cursing under my breath and following. Honestly, if I wasn’t absolutely sure they were about to get arrested, I wouldn’t have stuck around. Somebody had to try and keep these two from doing something stupid. Try, being the key word.

    However, the further we went in, I couldn’t help the way my curiosity rose. The halls of the famous Stark Tower were as clean as one would expect them to be, the while tiles glistening under foot from the bright lights over head. On the walls there were a few trinkets and pictures scattered about, but otherwise it was just an ever twisting maze of red and bronze colors that eventually blended together. The more corners we took that had no one around them the more relaxed I became, and I started to hope that _maybe_ Mr. Stark was out for the day.

    “What the hell!” Cate, however, was very displeased with the fact that we hadn’t run into anything even remotely exciting or interesting yet. She paused in the middle of one of the many, many halls, shouting as she gestured around herself wildly. Maddie just watched with an amused expression, taking a step back to avoid getting knocked upside the head. “This guy’s fucking loaded! Where the hell is everyone?! Shouldn’t there at least be a maid?!”

    “How about we don’t test fate, and just leave?” I pointed over my shoulder, back toward the way we’d came, but Cate just shot me a frustrated look.

    “This is your fault!” Chuckling, I only shook my head and watched her pout. Part of me understood. After all this running around, it would’ve been nice if something had happened. If I was going to get dragged into doing something relatively immoral, I might as well get something fun out of it. In reality, though, getting to spend time with my two best friends was enough for me. I didn’t have to throw in a state of the art weapon or wealthy billionaire to enhance that. But if I told them that, I’d never hear the end of it. It was better for them to just know in their hearts that I loved them to bits, while I kept up a frustrated appearance.

    “Why don’t we try the elevator this time? I think we’ve pretty much seen this floor.” Okay, I changed my mind.

    “No! Absolutely not!” Glaring at Maddie, I pointed again. “We’re leaving!”

    “I’m in!” Bouncing on her toes, Cate nodded, “Ready when you are, Captain! Lead the way!”

    “You’re out voted.” Poking me in the arm, I frowned as Maddie set off again before shaking my head and stalking after them, dragging my feet. Great, now we won’t have an immediate means of escape. I guess this meant I just had to out run the two of them if things got hairy.

    Smiling to myself, just a little bit, it wasn’t two more turns before we reached a set of stainless steel sliding doors, Maddie taking the initiative to hit the up button before Cate could slam her hand on it. There was a momentary silence as we listened to the whirring on the other side, then Cate glanced at the us.

    “We should probably move in case somebody’s in there.”

    Maddie tilted her head to the side in thought. “I don’t know. I think I could just knock out whoever’s in there.” Groaning, I put a hand to my face before grabbing the two of them and pulling them just out of sight while the two of them giggled. Once in a safe place, I leaned my head back against the wall.

    “You two are going to be the death of me.”

    “Oh~ You love us~” Cate rested her elbow on my shoulder as she came to lean against me, staring down at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Knowing where this was going, I ducked out of her touch and narrowed my gaze, opening my mouth to prevent it. Maddie, however, was the one to walk over and throw her arms around my neck from behind, chuckling in my ear.

    “Yeah~ Even if you’re so tiny~” Huffing, I rolled my eyes before reaching up and patting her arm. Taking a page from Cate’s book, I put a hand over my heart, not quite concealing a small grin.

    “That hurts. Here. You’re both so mean to me.” There were a few shared giggles before the ding of the elevator drew our attention to the empty insides of a very expensive looking machine, and I could feel my brows raise. It probably shouldn’t have been surprising, but I couldn’t help it. I could only imagine what this man’s living space was like if even his waiting areas were so nice. Still, we had plenty of time to admire while we waited for the next floor.

    Speaking of which, “Where do guys want to go, exactly?” There were around 93 floors in this entire building, and I knew none of us had any idea where Mr. Stark’s living quarters were, so it was literally going to be a guessing game. Just staring at the buttons had me biting my nails and rolling my weight onto my toes before dropping back down again; my nervous habits. Maddie hummed for a minute while Cate glared at the panel of glowing keys, as if they could somehow give her the answers she needed. Neither of them said anything, and a very fleeting hope went through me that maybe this would be enough to discourage them.

    But they were anything but that, Maddie’s hand confidently pushing level 69. My gut twisted but I tried to reassure myself. There were cameras all over this place; there was no way we’d make it very far. Possible confrontations ran through my head, multiple scenarios that I tried to make excuses for, but I knew there was no way I could think of all of them, so I just settled for chewing on my bottom lip and continuing to shuffle my feet.

    The floors went by much faster than what I was expecting and wanted, the numbers flashing by unil within seconds there was a soft ding and the doors slide open again. Bright sunlight streamed in, making me cover my eyes while Maddie hissed and Cate muttered under her breath. Something about the “fucking sun”, but it was a conversation we’d had many times, so I paid it no mind, just blinking a few times until my vision cleared.

    My eyes widened. A fancy living area, with a long couch and several chairs surrounding a huge tv. Floor to ceiling windows. A rug which I’m sure cost more than mine and my friends’ current student debt combined. This place was literally going to give me a heart attack.

    “Nope. Absolutely not. No way.” Reaching for another button, the action was futile, Maddie’s steel grip pulling me away and into the room. Cate rushed ahead of us, trailing her hand along the top of every piece of furniture with a huge smile on her face.

    “This is what I’m talking about. Just look at this place! Maddie, how did you know?!” Maddie’s grin was smug as she finally let me go, only chuckling when she realized I had nowhere to go now that the elevator was gone. She had always been psychic, and it seemed now wasn’t an exception. Pouting, I glanced around before sighing, giving up for the moment.

    “It is very nice.”

    “Right?!” Cate shook her head almost frantically, going on a rant about how she’d use the money to travel, including to space, and while I listened I steadily built up the courage to walk around and peek inside some doorways.

    A fancy kitchen, which Cate would not be allowed near. A nice dining area that was a little cozier than I envisioned. Another long hallway that split off into several directions. Somebody’s hand clamped down on my shoulder, and I glanced behind me to see the other two looking past me. They met my eyes expectantly and I gradually nodded. We were already here. Might as well look around.   

    Sticking together this time, we wandered forward slowly, checking out a few more rooms that were just as empty as the one we’d arrived in. There was a bedroom, what looked to be a screening room, and a library. It was honestly amazing, and I couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to live someplace like this. It was hard to imagine ever being bored.

    We had resorted to being quiet now that we knew we were in Mr. Stark’s living area, keeping our ears open for anything that wasn’t us. For the most part, and for quite some time, we were good, but we finally stumbled across a room that seemed to be for training, a large boxing ring in the center of the floor. However, it wasn’t that which sent us scrambling to hide behind the corner. It was the man standing at the center, talking with a red-haired woman while he typed away on an Ipad.

    “Oh my god- That’s him! That’s Stark!” Cate hissed, her eyes wide as she stared at the man, gaze traveling over his grey t-shirt and jeans. Maddie chuckled at her excitement, but she was practically glowing as well, while I was simply a pale statue beside them.

    Oh no.

    “Tony, I need you to sign here-” Stark picked up the pen and did what the woman asked without looking up, continuing to do whatever it was that he was doing.

    “Pepper-”

    “Ms. Potts-”

    “Pepper, I need to leave, so tell my appointments that I’ll be out.” He walked over to a table and sat down his tablet, bringing a hand up to rub at the glowing object in his chest that I knew to be the famous Arc Reactor that saved his life.

    “And where do you think you’re going?” Ms. Potts raised an eyebrow, but he only grunted, causing her to sigh.

    “You should be focusing on your company instead of Fury and this ‘team’ he wants to put together.” That statement caused Stark to pause, his brows creasing as he turned to her.

    “How did you-”

    She pointed up, “Cameras, Tony. I overheard your conversation with Natasha Romanoff when she came by the other day.” His lips pinched together before he huffed, moving away and, to my horror, coming toward us.

    “Move!” I hissed, pushing them down the hall and behind another corner just in time to save us from getting spotted.

    Stark didn’t seem to notice, going by us while he avoided any more conversation with Pepper Potts, who followed him with a scowl on her face. “Tony please, you don’t have to-”

    “There’s apparently a murderous god coming here to enslave humanity, Pepper. I don’t exactly have the luxury of sitting around.” Waving her off with a grin, he kept going until he reached the elevator, slipping inside with her beside him. “Besides, all they’ve got are two assassins, a man whose been frozen for seventy years, and a very angry doctor. Or so I’ve heard.” The doors sealed shut, keeping us from hearing the rest of the conversation.

    Cate rushed the silver doors. “NO! Oh, come on! It was just getting interesting!” Whipping around she glared at both of us. “We have to follow them!”

    “No, we don’t.” Crossing my arms, even I didn’t listen to my own words as I found myself watching to see what floor they stopped on. Maddie chuckled, giving me a pat on the back before she walked over and hit the up button. Two minutes later, we were heading to the roof and my feet were starting to hurt from how much I was rolling them.

    With a finalistic ding, the doors opened and we were blasted with wind. 93 stories up, the whole of New York was spread out before us, and even from the center of the roof you could see out for miles, the distant gleam of the ocean just as beautiful as the scene of the city on the other side. We didn’t get much time to look, though, as rough hands pulled us from the elevator, pulling a shocked squeak from all three of us.

    “Thanks Jarvis, for the information.” Stark appeared from behind the five or so men in black, staring down at his watch which then answered in a warm voice.

    “You’re welcome, sir.”

    “That’s so cool.” Cate muttered from beside me, but I quickly shook my head to silence her. Jaw clenched shut, I watched the man approach before he sighed and gestured to the men holding us. Instantly, they released us, and I rubbed my wrists, the sting from their grips making me frown.

    “How did you get up here?” Tony looked us over, probably trying to understand how three girls in their mid-twenties could surpass all the guards that he’d had stationed downstairs. In all honesty, even I wasn’t sure, and I’d been a part of the whole thing.

    Maddie, on the other hand, crossed her arms, tilting her head up to meet Stark’s eyes. “I knocked out the guards by the back door.”

    Frowning, he looked her up and down, obviously taking in her skinny form, but this only made her grin wider. I put a hand on her shoulder, taking a step forward to draw his attention. When I spoke, I couldn’t deny the warm pride in my voice. “Trust me when I say, she’s stronger than she looks.” This seemed to amuse him, and he chuckled.

    “What are your names?”

    “Sarah Ridgeback.” I offered my hand, relieved when he took it, giving him a friendly smile. “I apologize for our behavior, but they were curious.”

    “You were too!” Cate called out before jumping forward and giving Stark a wide grin, “My name’s Cate Sweadner!”

    “And you?” Tony changed his gaze back to Maddie, a teasing gleam entering his eyes as she shuffled a moment, her head raised.

    “It’s Maddie. Maddie Grimmwell.” Nodding, he chuckled.

    “Well, I would say it’s nice to meet you all, but I’m afraid I'll have to up my security because of you three.” Bringing a hand up to rub at his forehead, he glanced down at his watch, a rather serious look taking over his face. “And at the worst time, too…” Glancing behind him, I followed his gaze to the black plane behind him, brows furrowing when I recognized the model. I guess they were talking about Fury downstairs…

    “Sorry about that.” Cate chirped in a voice that was anything but apologetic, pulling me out of my thoughts. The blond came a little closer, peering into his face as his brows rose higher.

    Maddie deftly pulled her back. “So, where are you headed?”

    The smile was back on his face. “And why would I tell you that?”

    “Because you said something about a murderous god, and I’m curious?” She tried, the revelation that we’d heard his conversation making him frown, and I elbowed her, getting an ‘ow!’ in response. There was a rather tense moment of silence where Tony Stark just stared us down, eyes lingering on Maddie as he thought, before he let out a heavy sigh.

    “Oh, for the love of… I don’t have time for this. Bring 'em along.” Turning on his heel, he strode forward without looking back, waving his hand at the people around us. Breath hitching, I exchanged confused looks with the other two before we were pushed along, Cate letting out an indignant shout before we're loaded onto the airplane.

    “What the hell are you- Where are we going?!” The sound of the engines starting made my stomach flip, but that didn’t compare to the feeling I had when I spotted the Iron Man uniform, the shiny red suit trapped in a glass case in the corner. Tony was fiddling with something up front, not bothering to look up.

    “Well, I can’t exactly leave you here. If I have you escorted out, something tells me you’ll end up right back inside.”

    “So, where are we going!” Maddie huffed, yanking her arm from a gruff-looking man’s grip.

    At her insistence, he sighed and straightened just as the plane took off, sending us stumbling into seats. Looking on in amusement, he smirked, hitting a button on the console in front of him. ACDC instantly started blasting through the ship, and while I appreciated the music choice, it made it difficult to hear what he said next.

    “I guess you’re just going to have to wait and see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has begun!  
> Remember to head over to  
> [ The MSK Project](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/)  
> tumblr for more content!


	2. It Began With a Little Bit of Turbulence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So the crew wasn't immediately arrested! Win!  
> Now.... Where are they going?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember we post every Sunday and Wednesday 2-4pm  
> Check in on [The MSK Project Tumblr](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/) for more content!  
> Want to see what we post and when?  
> Check out our [calender](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/post/185646106155/the-blog-schedule-sunday-chapter-upload-2-4pm-mod)

    We flew for about an hour before things started to get… interesting. It began with a little bit of turbulence, which only made me uncomfortable and nervous because I didn’t fly very often and had a tiny fear of being in a giant metal machine high up in the sky. My problem, and it really has no basis on the story. 

    The second, and main, problem came with the tune of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Glancing up from my phone, where I’d been reading some random fanfiction, I watched as Tony pulled out his cell. He stared for a moment before sighing, answering only to pull it away from his ear as a deep voice yelled on the other end, clearly audible from a few feet away. Stark’s brows creased and he rolled his eyes before bringing it back to his ear.

    “Hello to you too, Nick.” Groaning as more yelling came from the other line, Tony didn’t seem to pay much attention to the conversation at first, but something must’ve really caught his attention because he went from sassy to serious in one second. Frowning, he nodded once, twice, then grinned. “I can do that. Be there in a few minutes.”

    “Hey! Are we there yet?!” Cate shouted, just to shout, from her seat next to me, and my gaze slid to her in exaggerated annoyance. She dutifully ignored me, glaring at Tony who seemed to recall our presence, looking between the three of us before he let out another soft groan. 

    “Yeah, about that… No, I’m not with Romanoff, there was a problem at the Tower… Yeah, I’m still going to head over; the plane’s on auto-pilot so it’s sending them your way.”

    Something said on the other end made him chuckle and glance back at us, his eyes lingering on Maddie playfully, “Yeah, no, I don’t think they’re dangerous. They should be fine on their own.”

    “Wait!” Maddie finally put down her own phone, having been playing some game, to focus on the situation. “You’re leaving?!” Again, he didn’t answer her, just saying a few parting words into the phone before hanging up. Walking past us, he hit a button on his watch, the case holding his suit sliding open with a soft whoosh, and he poked the chest piece, the suit opening on contact. We, meanwhile, undid our seat belts and stood, going to watch. Cate and Maddie were in front, while I stood a little ways back, absolutely enthralled as Tony turned and stepped backward, the suit forming around him.

    Cate swore under her breath as she shook her head, “That’s fucking awesome.”

    “Thanks. Now you may want to strap yourselves  _ back _ in; I’m letting myself out.” Tony gave her a smug smirk before he made his way into the back part of the plane, leaving us to scramble and do as he said, not wanting to get yanked out into the sheer drop awaiting outside. He waited, tapping his foot, until we all spun around to look at him. 

    “Alright! See you all when I get back!” He saluted, grin growing wider before he smacked a button on the wall, the tail of the plane lowering slowly. As it did, a ferocious wind came whipping inside, sending all of our hair into a whirlwind. I managed to keep mine held back, barely able to see Tony shoot off, the thrusters of his suit erupting in an explosion of blue light that quickly faded into the distance. As if on cue, the door started to close, eventually leaving us in a thick silence, the gale that once was having our ears ringing.

    “OH MY GOD!” Cate’s screech effectively brought back our hearing, though, making me wince as I slowly allowed myself to unbuckle my seatbelt. “THAT WAS AMAZING!”

    “It was pretty damn cool,” I heard Maddie mutter to herself, assuming by her tone that she was slightly annoyed with him for not answering her questions. I could understand, but most of my irritation came from uneasiness due to the lack of a skilled (I assumed) pilot on board. 

    “So, what? Do we just sit here until we get wherever the hell it is we’re going?” Slumping back in her seat, Maddie glared out the front of the plane, pouting as she saw the blue of Tony’s thrusters disappear into the clouds completely. He must’ve swung around to the front.

    “I vote we go after him. It’s not like he can stop us now, and besides, I have a feeling we’ll be meeting this Fury eventually, anyway.” Cate ticked off a few things on her fingers, seemingly keeping track of something in her head before she nodded to herself. “Yep, we’re probably already fucked, so might as well do what we want.”

    “I don’t think that’s how that works.” I sighed, shaking my head, but Maddie only grinned.

    “I’m in. Besides, I don’t think I want to do exactly what that smug bastard wants.” Turning to look at me for my expected reaction, both of their eyes widened when I stayed silent.

    “You aren’t going to say no?!” Cate stared at me, mouth dropped open, but I merely rolled my eyes and gestured to the console up front.

    “If you can hack the plane, then we can go.”

    “Oh, don’t worry about that.” Cracking her knuckles, Maddie’s smirk got larger. “I’ve got that covered.” 

    Following her up front, we peeked over her shoulder as she hit a couple buttons, a red warning appearing on a small screen before the plane jerked to the right, sending us stumbling. “Autopilot, disengaged.” A woman’s voice mechanically announced over head, more turbulence rocking the ship until the only thing keeping me standing was my steel grip on the back of the chair.

    “Maddie!”

    “Hold on!” Hands moving quickly, Maddie’s fingers jabbed at a few more buttons before she hummed to herself, the plane steadying just as quickly as it had fallen apart. 

    Glaring at her, I narrowed my eyes.“A little more warning next time, please!” 

    Waving me off with a chuckle and murmured ‘sorry’, she leaned back in the seat, stretching her arms above her head. “Alright! We’re on course! I’ve set it to track his suit.”

    “And how did you do that?” 

    “By setting it to follow his energy output.” She shrugged, glancing over at me like it made the most sense in the world, which it did, before focusing back on the cloudy sky in front of us. 

    “Yes! You know, I wonder what’s going on? Do you think it’s that god he was talking about earlier?” Cate leaned on the back of the chair, not really looking at us as she tried to peer over the console so she could see straight down.

    Cracking my wrist and loosening the joints, another nervous tick, I shrugged while Maddie only hummed an affirmative. Tony Stark was Iron Man after all. Where there was danger, he followed it because he was too good of a man to sit back and do nothing, despite his attitude. So, it made the most sense. 

    As a fairly cautious person, there was a part of me that prided myself in not putting those around me in immediate danger, but I also had a nasty weakness for being too curious. That’s why, along with my nerves, there was a bubbling of excitement in my gut.

    That lasted about as long as it took for the two of them to start arguing about who was going to drive. “You’re going too slow!” Cate hissed, rocking Maddie’s seat to get her attention. “We’re going to miss everything!” 

    “Cate, stop it.” Voice hard, Maddie shot her a withering look over her shoulder. “It looks like there’s going to be a storm.”

    “Oh, come on! It’s a little bit of rain! Just speed things up already!” Not letting up the shaking of the chair, I saw Maddie’s hair start to fuzz up, raising a hand to my face and cursing what I was about to do.  _ But hey, if I give myself a heart attack, at least I wouldn’t have to see these two kill each other. _

    While Maddie twisted around in her seat, I pushed the lever I recognized from the movies, the plane giving a mighty roar before it shot forward, sending us sprawling backward. I think somebody screamed my name, but I wasn’t really sure. We were going so fast the engine was practically squealing, and I barely managed to pull back the lever enough so that we weren’t plastered to the floor like bugs.

    Once I found my feet again, I ignored their wide-eyed looks and took to the back of the ship, cheeks red, planning on sitting down until the floor stopped spinning. That plan brought to a halt when, off to the side, a drawer with S.H.I.E.L.D pasted on the side caught my eye.

    I grimaced, my prediction proven correct, and moved over to dig through it. We weren't really thinking this through at all… and if Shield was involved… It was no surprise when my fingers brushed against a small, black handgun in the bottom. Again, the same logo was engraved in the side, the rough handle scratching against my palm as I turned it this way and that before taking the holster that was beside it and wrapping it around my ankle, sliding the gun inside.

    If there really was a murderous god waiting for us when we got off this plane, I wanted to have at least a tiny means of protection. Though how effective it would be… was in fact a mystery.

    It was a good thing I could handle a gun, proficient since my dad had first taught me to hold one, and it also helped that I wasn’t the least bit afraid of the thing like some people were. Humanity was a lot more terrifying, at least in my opinion. They were the ones who decided what the weapons were used for.

    “Sarah…? What are you- Where did you-?!” Pointing to where I’d found it, I pulled my pants leg over the weapon and stood, meeting Cate’s eyes with a soft, comforting grin. 

    “Just in case.” She seemed to understand, still giving me a once over before nodding and turning back to the sky outside, Maddie looking over at me before focusing back on flying the plane, hitting a few switches before leaning back. She hadn’t slowed us down, the engine no longer screaming, but growling as we continued at almost top speed. At the rate we were moving, I thought, we might even get there before Tony did. 

    Though, I wouldn’t know what we’d do if we did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Maddie's hacked the plane.  
> Hopefully she didn't screw it up


	3. How The Hell Did We Get Here First?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Party... Rumor has it it's gonna be Lit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We now post every Sunday and Wednesday! Still 2-4pm  
> If you're new I edited the last chapters to avoid confusion.  
> Check in on [The MSK Project Tumblr](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/) for more content!  
> Want to see what we post and when?  
> Check out our [newly updated calender](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/post/185646106155/the-blog-schedule-sunday-chapter-upload-2-4pm-mod)

“Maddie… How the hell did we get here first?” Glancing at her as we exited the ship, I tried to calm the storm in my chest. She, on the other hand, puffed herself up and gave me a wicked grin.

“I overheard his conversation while he was on the phone.”

“How?!” Cate stomped her foot, only receiving a sly chuckle in response. 

    “Magic~ Now, I think this is the place they were talking about…” Pausing just outside our stolen, or as Cate liked to put it  _ borrowed _ , vehicle, we scanned our surroundings, taking in the large building we just so happened to park on. It was large enough to have a sufficient roof for our needs, made out of fine white brick, and the whole place practically screamed rich. Not really sure if it was a house or not, all I could really tell was that it was located in the middle of a city and there were tons of cars sitting out front, all around an actual red carpet, which probably meant there was something major going on inside. Other than that the bustling city continued to do just that, people in everyday street clothes passing by out front, seemingly oblivious to whatever was happening inside. Distantly, I could make out the sounds of violins.

    “Are you… sure? It doesn’t seem like anything life-threatening is going on…” Cate sounded a little too disappointed as she took in the rather peaceful atmosphere, and I shot her my best eye roll before heading over to see if the roof access door was locked, part of me hoping it was. 

    It was not.

    The music got louder as soon as it swung open, the faraway sound of people talking drifting up the stairs with the sweet melody. Maddie and Cate walked up to me, ready to start heading down, but I quickly blocked their path, my chest constricting. “Wait… Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

    “Sarah, you’re the one who sped up the ship in the first place!” Cate gestured behind her, and I nodded, then shook my head. 

    “I know, but…” 

    Maddie seemed willing to hear me out, putting a hand on Cate’s arm to keep her quiet for a moment. Collecting my thoughts, I bit my lip, then continued.

    “I just… I’m not sure… I don’t really know why, but something feels off.” Maddie’s face twisted up as she thought, Cate’s brows furrowing, but when neither of them said anything I slowly moved out of the way, rubbing my neck shyly. “Maybe I’m just crazy…”

    Giving me a small grin, Maddie threw an arm around my shoulder, escorting me while Cate bounced along behind. “Well, if you’re crazy, what does that make us?” Relaxing just a bit as the tense air around us turned into something more familiar, I grinned softly.

    “Insane.”

    “Hey!” Cate poked me in the side, causing me to shift away as I giggled under my breath. Maddie laughed along with it, releasing me to race ahead and check around the corner. Luckily, it seemed like all the fun was elsewhere, the upper halls abandoned for what awaited further down. We didn’t pass a single soul, our only other companions the paintings that decorated the walls, each one of another important looking person draped in reds, golds, and blacks. When we finally came upon a room connected to the main one below, I couldn’t help but draw back and take a look over the balcony. Cate and Maddie didn’t notice, carrying on.

    “Maybe he’s going to come beat up some corrupt politicians.” 

    “Cate, I don’t think he’d use the Iron Man suit for that.” 

    Deadpanning, I glanced over the sea of people below, all of which were dressed in their finest wear, the only two colors black and white amongst the pillars and statues I was fairly sure were made out of pure marble. Then again, I knew nothing of architecture, other than it was nice to look at, so I couldn’t prove anything. My friends didn’t notice my absence.

    “Maybe the politician stole a weapon of mass destruction or something?” Cate pressed on, trying to figure out why such a boring event had caused such a ruckus on the plane. Maddie, however, only shrugged.

    “I could’ve gotten the place wrong, though I doubt it.” She muttered the last part under her breath before she went on. “Or maybe nothing’s happened yet.”

    “Well, let’s hope it’s the first one.” Sighing, I pushed away from the railing and strode after them, catching up rather quickly since I didn’t want to be left on my own in an unfamiliar place. They’d gotten pretty far ahead, though, while I’d been studying the crowd, turning a corner before I could reach them. Without much thought, I rushed around it, running straight into a firm chest, which sent me stumbling back. From above my head, somebody let out a soft cough and curse, the otherwise smooth voice rather pleasant to the ears, if I had to compliment it.

    In reality, though, my stomach dropped, body stiffening as I realized what happened. “Oh my god, I’m so- I’m so sorry!” Bowing my head, I didn’t look up at the man’s face, assuming the gender based off of his perfectly shined shoes, my voice extra quiet and polite as I did my best to keep it steady. Praying I hadn’t just ran into the owner of this building or even worse, a security guard, my body acted on instinct when I spotted the wrinkle I’d put in the man’s suit, hand reaching over and smoothing it out. 

    The man, however, didn’t appear to appreciate my concern, knocking my hand away with his own. My eyes darted up to his, widening, but I froze at the piercing blue that greeted me, mouth going dry for a split second at the sheer anger I saw there. I vaguely remember thinking, at the time, that in all my years I had never seen a human being with eyes that  _ blue _ before.

    “I don’t need your help.” He practically spat the words in my face, making me blink in surprise while I began to fiddle with my fingers, gaze darting away and to the wall, then back again. Bowing my head, I murmured another apology, using the opportunity to scan him over once. 

    He was wearing a nice suit, the outfit a perfect match for him and the party, the monochrome broken up by a green and gold scarf draped across his neck. Even though it stood out, I found it really seemed to flatter him and his fair features, the two colors matching nicely with his skin. He was, in every meaning of the word, handsome. I was certain of it, even with my lack of experience in the field.

    What really made me pause, though, were the bruises peeking out from beneath his fully buttoned collar and along the back of his jaw, by his ears. That and the fact that his slicked back, raven hair appeared more oily than what gel would typically make it. Mixed with his horribly pale skin, the man looked, in every meaning of the phrase, like he’d been to hell and back again.

    The moment couldn’t have lasted much longer than three minutes, three very awkward minutes where I wasn’t quite sure how to escape, but suddenly I was wrenched away by a tight grip on my arm, one I recognized as Maddie’s. I had one last chance to glance back at him, but he only walked on, heading for the staircase at the other end of the hall which led straight down to the throng below.

    “Sarah! Are you okay!” Cate reached out as soon as I was within range, patting my arms up and down as she looked me over. Nodding, unable to really find my voice, I stared at the ground, thoughts going a mile a minute. Brows creased in worry as something fought to come to the surface.

    “Sarah? Did he do something? I’m sorry, we didn’t notice you were gone for a second there…” Maddie’s tone dropped a little, her guilt obvious. She knows how much I hate meaningless confrontation. I quickly met her eyes and gave a soft smile, attempting to be reassuring despite knowing she’d still worry. 

    “No, I’m fine. It was my fault, don’t worry about it.” Giving her shoulder a squeeze, I jerked my head in the opposite direction the man had gone. “Let’s keep going.”

    They both looked at each other before slowly nodding, and we started walking again. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the man begin to descend, keeping my gaze on him until he was out of sight. My feeling was back, a dark constricting in my chest, but I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly was wrong.

    At my continued silence, my friends’ concern only grew, and Cate swore as loudly as she dared with a bunch of fancy people just a floor below us, slamming open the service door in the same manner. “I should’ve punched that guy in his stupid face.” 

    I couldn't resist letting out a breathy chuckle, and this seemed to make them relax. From there, we were soon making our way along the wall of the bottom room, the sheer size of the group in the middle making me uncomfortable even at the distance we were at.

    I did not like crowds. I still don’t. 

    Cate, however, was in her element now, and she lamented her choice of wear, even though we hadn’t had the knowledge ahead of time to pick out something… suitable. “Ugh… I wish I looked better… I’m a mess!” Muttering quietly, she glared at the people who shot us curious looks, patting her hair which was still frizzled from Tony’s earlier departure. 

    Elbowing her softly, I shot her a teasing look, trying to ease the nagging at the back of my mind, “Come on Cate. You look fine~” She only gave me a dirty look and pulled ahead, walking much faster toward the front doors. Maddie chuckled.

    “Drama queen.”

    “That she is.” Agreeing, we both shared a laugh before hurrying after her, figuring it would be best to stay together now that we knew we were apparently in Germany, considering everybody else was speaking German and the fact that Maddie squealed when she first realized it. Heaven forbid us getting separated; we’d probably never find each other again. Then again, I was probably worrying too much. 

    That, however, is when the screaming started.

    Head whipping around to see what was going on, everyone in the room flooded us at once. Maddie reached for me, only for a rather buff man to ram my shoulder and shove me away. Trapped in the current, unable to see past the mass of bodies in front of me, I could only tell that I was pushed outside, the tiled floor turning to cobblestone beneath my feet and the echoing of shouts dying out once the sound had further to go and less to bounce off of. 

    Looking around frantically, eyes darting back and forth, I tried to recognize faces, tried to spot my friends, all the while the feeling of the gun on my ankle was the only reassurance. Panicked breathing and the desperation that had people pulling at each other surrounded me. What had happened?! What hadn't I seen?!

    What had we gotten ourselves into?

    A blast of blue sent the crowd barreling down the street, a thundering mass shoving me along with each push. With a wince I curved away from a jabbing elbow, stumbling as I caught heel over heel to the ground below. The crowd was indifferent and I was forced to dodge the trampling of feet, hand stamped in the crossfire in favor of a kick to the face. As soon as the world stopped spinning I got into a sitting position where my only objective was to avoid further damage.

    “Kneel before me!” A familiar voice, demanding attention and obedience, reverberated through the crowd. I could barely make it out through all the crying taking place, but then it came again, and this time, it was a yell. “I said, kneel!” 

    There was a flash of blue light, everyone growing silent besides the shuffling of feet and muffled sniffles. Slowly, one by one, they did as he said, all falling into his hands, and finally I could see who was causing this.

    The man from before, standing tall and proud, a helmet with large horns now sitting on his head while he wore gold and green armor, which flashed in the differing fluorescent lights around us. My hand drifted to my ankle before I ever thought about it. 

    I guess we found the murderous god. Great.

    “Is not this simpler?” Walking forward, the people at his feet parted and made a path, arms held outward as though he were basking. Which he was, a sickening smile on his face. “Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation…” He laughed a dull chuckle, the staff in his hand glowing the same blue as his eyes, but pulsing with energy, like a heartbeat. 

    I blocked out a lot of what he was saying after that, more desperate than ever to make sure my friends had made it out, made it to safety. It was only when the elderly man beside me stood, that I was jerked back into the present, and my gut gave a final twist as I realized my instincts had been right all along.

    “Not to men like you.” I had spent a lot of my life around people like this old man, and the stubbornness in his voice, the resignation, the pain of something only he knew… I remembered it all too well, a fondness rising in my chest that was quickly diminished by the mocking cackle of the god.     

    “There are no men like me.” 

    The old man merely shook his head, the years growing ever more apparent on his face. “There are always men like you.”

    There was a short period of silence before the smirk on the god’s face widened, the staff glowing brighter as he leveled it our way. “Look to your elder, people. Let him be an example.” 

    The pulsing came faster and before I knew it I was on my feet, standing in front of the old man, gun pointed at the god. Everything froze, the god’s brows drawing together as he realized he recognized me, but I didn’t hesitate, pulling the trigger with practiced ease.

    The shot rang out. People screamed again, lunging away as the god’s staff went flying, his head whipping to follow its path before his eyes flashed back to me. 

    Eyes that are too close, just inches away. Instead of shooting, my body stiffened, brain telling me it wasn’t possible, and I noticed the green shine around his form. Hesitantly, I moved an arm, watching it pass right through the image, wiping it away as if it had never been there.

    The god stared at me with wide eyes, now back across the crowd, but that’s when a man wearing America’s colors kicked him right in the gut, sending him sprawling, and the next thing I knew, I was being dragged off while a fight exploded forth behind me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the crew has arrived! Finally!  
> Took 'em long enough...


	4. What The Hell Were You Thinking?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah just got pulled back in a tactical retreat from the God of Mischief.  
> Hope the crew can handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everbody remember we post every Sunday and Wednesday! 2-4pm  
> Be sure to check in on [The MSK Project Tumblr](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/) for more content!  
> Want to see what we post and when?  
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    Falling to the ground, knees weak, my grip on the gun didn’t loosen until I was fully aware of Maddie and Cate, their eyes wide and frantic as they tried to get me to respond. It didn't matter, though, my ears ringing too loudly for me to hear them. Instead, I nodded over and over, attempting to even out my breathing as I patted their arms, grabbing their wrists and pushing them away with a small smile.

“Fine… I’m fine.” Maddie shook her head, glaring, and my smile fell as she punched me in the arm. Typically, I would whine and pretend like it hurt more than it did, but this time I stayed quiet as she did it again. As my hearing finally started to come back, I couldn't help a wince.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” I caught her wrist the next time it came down, preventing it from nailing me in the chest as I grimaced.

“I couldn’t just sit there!” Her gaze only grew more intense, Cate jumping in.

“Sarah, you don’t even know him!” 

Huffing, I shook my head. “You know I don’t care about that.”

“UGH!” With a shout, my body was yanked forward, Maddie sending the both of us into Cate, ending in a mangled group hug. Her head resting on my shoulder, and while I was concerned I was about to be strangled, I heard her whimper. “You stupid, caring idiot.” 

Gradually, I relaxed, hand patting her hair. “Yeah… You’re right about that.”

“I’m always right.” Her hold tightened.

“Yep.” Agreeing, I sighed, shooting Cate a look to which she responded with a smile before jumping up and peeking out from behind the car we were currently crouched behind. She started to bounce within seconds. Never a good sign.

    “Oh my god-!” 

    “Loki, drop the weapon and stand down!” A female voice echoed loudly above us, my head jerking up to see a plane exactly like the one we ‘borrowed’ ready and willing to start laying fire into the god with the machine gun that apparently came attached. 

    He stared up at the airplane before smirking, arm thrusting forward, the staff flashing and sending out a beam of blue the plane barely managed to dodge. The man in blue hurled his shield, knocking Loki back a few feet, but otherwise he barely flinched. A grin eating up his face before a fist smashed across it. There was a split second where the two men just stared at each other, then they were back at it, a feral growl ripping from Loki’s throat.

    Grimacing, I paid little mind to Cate’s excitement, as loud as it was. “Oh shit! They’re really going at it!” 

    As if on cue, Loki tossed the man to the side, letting him roll and start to stand before the god placed the staff firmly on the back of his skull.

    “Kneel.” His voice was hard, demanding compliance. The man beneath him, however, only grunted and shoved the weapon away, doing a well-rehearsed round-house and knocking Loki backwards. 

    “Not today.” 

    Cate continued to shout encouragements, to both of them I feel the need to add, while my brows rose. Maddie, too, watched with bated breath, arms crossed over her chest. The three of us relatively safe at this distance. 

    They were fairly matched, but the longer the fight went on, the more the man in blue hit the ground. Finally it seemed like I was going to have to use the gun again, grip tightening on the handle as Loki straightened and watched him struggle uselessly beneath him.

    ACDC blasted through the air, a golden blast sending the god flying back into the stairs. Hitting the ground hard enough that I could feel it shake under my feet, I relaxed as Tony stood, Cate whooping.

    “Yeah! You go Tony!” The plated face of his suit jerked in our direction.

    “What the hell-! What are you three-?!” 

    “Behind you!” Maddie’s wild shout cut off Stark’s ranting as he twisted just in time to avoid being stabbed, metal arm connecting with Loki's face. Sending him stumbling again, right back into a sitting position. Pointing a glowing palm at his face, Stark growled, weapons of all sorts popping out from the suit, covering his shoulders in missiles galore. 

    Loki, promptly, fell still.

    “Make your move, Reindeer Games.”

    I heard Maddie snort, but I could only smirk and watch as Loki leaned back, more than relieved when his body was covered in a golden shine that faded along with his armor, leaving him in green leathers. A tense moment passed before Tony's weapons retreated, the man in blue running up to stand by his side as the god raised his hands in an act of surrender.   

    “Hell yeah! That was awesome!” Cate bounded forward before launching herself at Tony, holding up a hand for a high five. Maddie followed with a soft chuckle, letting me bring up the rear. Which was perfect as I took the time, as short as it was, to study the god, eyes lingering on Loki, especially when his gaze locked on me. I only knew to stop walking when I saw Maddie do so in my periphery. 

    “How the fuck did you three-” 

    “We hacked your ship!” Cate said with all the bubbly enthusiasm in her being, completely ignoring it when Tony’s eye twitched.

    “And how did you-”

    “I did it. It wasn’t hard, and your suit’s easy to track.” Maddie shrugged, meeting his glare with a raised chin, smirk on her lips. Cate then turned her attention on the man in blue, her eyes looking him over without any hesitation, jutting out a hip.

    “Who’re you? That was a sweet kick earlier, by the way.”

    “Thank you?” He glanced over at Tony, who was in no means paying him any attention, before holding out a hand. “I’m Steve Rogers, but I guess… It’s also Captain America.”

    That made my head jerk in his direction, my hand coming up to point at him unconsciously. “You’re the super soldier from World War Two.” 

    His brows rose before he nodded, hand dropping back to his side before Cate could shake it. Not that she was going to, already focusing back on the tension brewing between Tony and Maddie, a staring contest going full force. “Yeah, but how do you know that?” 

    “My dad adores you.” I shrug like this is no big deal before my gaze darts down to my feet then back toward Loki, surprised to still see him glaring at me. Frowning, figuring it was because he didn't like the fact I disarmed him, another worrying thought wiggled at the back of my mind.

    He looked a lot different from earlier. He was paler, the bruises from before much more pronounced, not to mention the circles under his eyes from many a sleepless night.

    He went from looking like hell to looking like death in the time span of an hour, and all he did was use a little bit of magic?

    “Sarah!” Jerking at the shout that was right in my ear, my head whipped to the side to see Cate leaning down in my face. 

    I deadpanned. “What?”

    “You’re spacing out!” 

    Crossing my arms, I grinned, acting more exasperated than I felt. She really was rubbing off on me. “Well, maybe I’m just ignoring you.” 

    Her eyes widened dramatically, throwing her arms over my shoulders as she whined. “Come on~ You know you love me~” Poking my cheek, she batted her eyelashes, but I only huffed and ducked out of her grasp. 

    With that out of the way, Tony took it upon himself to lead us over to the plane, muttering under his breath the entire time. He promptly left us there to be glared upon by a red-headed woman who probably could’ve killed a man with a single look.

    “That’s Natasha Romanoff. Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite. Much.” With a chuckle that earned him a glare, which did not in fact kill him, Tony shoved Loki onto one of the seats, leaving Steve to cuff his hands together and buckle him in. The god didn’t say a word the entire time, my suspicion rising because from what I’d seen so far this man liked to hear himself talk. It just didn’t make sense… unless…

    “Take your seat!” Flinching out of my thoughts, I shot a glance at Natasha before doing as she said, sitting in the chair across from Loki. Might as well, it wasn’t like I wouldn’t be able to move once we were in the air. 

    He, however, must’ve found something strange about it because he shot me a puzzled look, brows furrowed. Keeping my features impassive, I somehow kept up the eye contact until a voice once again stole my attention.

    “Has he said anything?” The words were low and gruff, angry. Spoken through gritted teeth.

    “Nothing.” Natasha replied, tone hard, and I noticed her hands tighten on the controls.

    “Whatcha two talkin’ about?!” Cate threw herself over Tony’s shoulder, which got her a glare, but I felt the corners of my mouth twitch up. She'd broken up some serious tension with ease, leaving Steve to walk up and join Nat in the front while Tony sighed and pushed her away, leaning against the wall. Maddie went over and stood beside him, the two ending up speaking in low voices, their battle of wills continuing in the corner.

    Taking the respite, I pulled out my phone, checking some messages… emails…  figuring that if I were going to be stuck on this plane for a long period of time, I might as well get some stuff out of the way.

    Shooting my boss an email, I apologized and claimed I was sick and unable to come in for work, praying he wouldn’t catch on. Having taken today off, I didn’t want him to think I was skipping. Well, I was, but I mean skipping cause I wanted to. It took long enough to get a job in the state department, as low ranking as it was. I didn't want to lose it.

    Thankfully, he texted back not a few minutes later, wishing me well and reminding me to go over some stuff before I came in next. All the late hours paid off, it seemed, eyes closing momentarily as I let out a silent sigh. He even attached another file, so I thanked him and logged off. 

    Cue the thunder, loud enough that it shook the Quinjet and, to my ever growing surprise, Loki. He shifted in his seat, glancing up then toward the front window, sweat appearing on his brow.

    I frowned, but Steve beat me to it. “What? Scared of a little lightning?” 

    Loki stared at him for a moment, eventually looking back up again as if he could see something we couldn’t. And in a silky smooth tone laced with unease and… something else I couldn't identify, his eyes flashed. “I’m not overly fond of what follows.” 

    I didn’t expect him to speak, stiffening before my brows creased again. God, were they getting a work out today, and it appeared I wasn’t the only one confused, Tony and Steve glancing at each other while Cate and Maddie went to stand together. There was a long period of silence.

    Then, Cate laughed. “Okay, very funny, but that wasn’t scary at all you little-” 

    The plane shook on impact, her words cutting short with a scream as everybody jumped, even Loki. Outside, more lightning lit up the sky, welcoming whatever was waiting outside the ship. Tony grabbed his helmet quickly, the metal forming protectively around his skull before he started marching forward, slamming his fist into the button that would lower the door. 

    Cate and Maddie scrambled to hook themselves in as a gale came bursting through, forcing my eyes closed. Somebody shouted, their identity lost to the wind, words shredded in the screaming vortex. Barely able to squint, I froze as a very muscled man dropped onto the platform, never once glancing at Tony who stood before him. His eyes were only on Loki, who, when I turned to look at, was frozen with a look close to  _ heartbreak _ on his face. Heartbreak and maybe a little bit of fear.

    Before I knew what I was doing, my fingers were shakily trying to free myself from my bindings. 

    Loki’s face paled even more, brows shooting up as the muscled man stormed forward, intent clear in his eyes, and Tony went to step in front of him. However, the stranger just pulled back his hand, which held a massive hammer, and slammed it into his chest, knocking him down into the floor. Not wasting a second, he yanked Loki free of his safety belt, clenching a hand around his throat before switching his grip to the back of his neck and jumping into the empty space outside.

    It took less than thirty seconds.

    Tony slowly picked himself up, muttering just loud enough to be heard as everyone’s ears adjusted. “And then there’s that guy.”

    “Another Asgardian?!” Natasha shouted from the front, apparently struggling with the controls as she glanced over her shoulder.

    “That guy’s a friendly?” Steve looked between the two, but Tony just shook his head.

    “Doesn’t matter. If he does anything to Loki, the Tesseract’s lost.”

    “What’s our plan of attack?” Steve looked slightly lost, eyes a little wide as he looked between the open air and the metal man, but Tony only stared back at him.

    “I have a plan. Attack.” With that, he dived out after the two, leaving Steve to scramble for a parachute as the blast from Tony’s thrusters made the Quinjet tremble. Natasha warned him that it was a bad idea, Loki and the mystery man were gods afterall, and I voiced my agreement, but he only shook his head.

    “There’s only one God, Ma'am.” Then he, too, was gone, swallowed up by the stormy night sky. Finally managing to unbuckle my damn seat belt, I rushed to the edge and glanced down, but they were all lost to the clouds. Cursing under my breath, never noticing when Cate and Maddie joined me, we stared into the abyss together, wondering just what the hell we’d gotten ourselves mixed up in.

    But, the other thing that had me thinking was the look on Loki’s face just before he vanished. Just who the hell was this new guy? How did he know Loki? And they were from  _ Asgard _ ? From the Norse  _ Mythology _ ? I mean, I thought maybe it was some super villain that liked the sound of being called the God of Mischief or something. I didn’t actually think-

    “Hold on!” 

    “Fuck!” 

    “Shit!” 

    Gritting my teeth, my knuckles turned white on the handle I was barely hanging onto as Natasha took the plane down, throwing us backward when turbulence rocked the ship. Hitting the floor hard, my arm ached with the impact, but I scrambled back to my feet and hurried to stand next to the redhead, watching as the ground ever so slowly came into sight. 

    It was a battlefield. Lightning cut through trees, golden energy blasts returning fire, and in the middle was Steve, blocking and throwing his shield back and forth. Somehow managing to keep up, if not stand his own, against both a god and a machine far more advanced than what he was used to. Trees tumbled to the forest floor as they were torn and cut in two, little fires blossoming up under the searing heat that crossed above them. When the muscled man rammed his hammer into the earth, the ground splintered.

    All of this fell out of sight as Natasha moved away from the fighting, landing on a small outcrop on the side of a mountain. Before she could even try I was out the door, gun back in my hand. Maddie and Cate followed after me, and I'm sure Natasha was cursing her luck as she rushed after us.

    I still reached Loki first. He was lying on the ground, watching the destruction from afar with a sick grin on his face, but he heard me approach. Blues glancing over his shoulder and smiling wider when he saw me. I didn’t hesitate to point the gun at him.  

    Ever so slowly, he stood, hands held up in an act of surrender. One I was certain he didn't need to use when he could kill me with a flick of his wrist. “We really do need to stop meeting like this.”

    I was in no way going to let that stop me. Jaw clenched tight, my eyes narrowed. Jerking my hands toward the cliff face, my voice was low and hard. “Who is that?”

    “Who? The muscled oaf?” Loki rolled his eyes. Not an ounce of worry in any of his motions confirming my thought. He wanted to be here. “That would be my brother Thor.” 

    At that vital, or would be vital, piece of information, some of my determination shook and the gun lowered just an inch. Call it intuition but… things were adding up. “Your brother?” 

    Loki stiffened, a look as if he’d been caught stealing from the cookie jar passing over his features before that smug smirk was back. “He was my brother.” 

    Even with the word change, something was off, something about the conviction behind his words. It just wasn’t there. I didn't have time to keep asking questions either.

    “Loki! Get down on the ground!” Natasha raced passed me, shoving him up against the rocky wall and forcing him back into handcuffs. Not once did he struggle. In fact, at one point he even let out a dry but amused laugh, earning a rough yank. 

    Leaning against my shoulder, breathing heavily, Cate spoke quietly, so only Maddie and I would hear.  “Guess he likes that kind of stuff.” This earned her an elbow to the ribs, the taller girl whining while I slipped my gun back into its place on my ankle. If I’d been paying attention, I would’ve seen Loki’s eyes follow my motions.

    “Get back to the ship.” Nat practically growled at us, and we did as she asked, though Cate continued to mumble under her breath until we were back with the others, Thor standing peacefully between Tony and Steve.

    “Worked everything out, did we?” Maddie gave the three a wiggle of her brows, earning her another glare from Tony, her prize, while the bigger man tilted his head to the side.

    “Yes, we have managed to find common ground.” Seems it completely went over his head.

    “I bet you have~” Cate purred, this time earning a snicker and high five while I brought an exasperated hand to my face.

    “Guys, now's not the time.” They, of course, ignored me, continuing to make innuendos until Tony huffed, rolling his eyes and entering after Steve, who’d left long ago. Thor nodded to us as we finally started forward, intending to take our seats.

    “My name is Thor, I am a prince of Asgard and-” 

    “Cool, I’m Cate, this is Maddie, and this is Sarah. Your brother’s a dick, by the way.”

    Thor blinked once, twice, then he let out an uncomfortable chuckle, glancing behind him at where Loki was being tied down into yet another seat. Part of me expected him to defend the trickster, being his family and what not. He did not, but the small, sad grin said enough, and there was no amusement in his voice when he replied.

    “He can be, yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Steve have more headaches to deal with besides Tony in this timeline XD  
> They are not sorry


	5. I Don't Know... Something's Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew is brought to the hellicarrier where Loki is now being held. Sarah is still certain something is amiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a doozy! So enjoy a nice long read.  
> Remember we upload on Wednesdays and Sundays 2-4 EST (we are currently in daylight savings however so time may be funky for you all.)

    The next hour was painfully awkward, even Cate retreating into her phone as every once in a while Maddie would lean over to show her something, giggling before showing me. Earning a few smirks and eyerolls, I watched them fondly for a bit before letting my gaze drift toward the front of the Quinjet, everyone but Loki talking in low voices that were more frustrated than anything.

    Occasionally, Tony would lean back against the wall of the plane, somehow appearing comfortable despite the suit, and he would sigh, a long and heavy sound. Steve would then rub at his eyes, and Thor would stiffen, glancing over his shoulder at Loki before continuing the conversation.  

    My eyes finally landed on their prisoner. Head back, he appeared to be resting, body slightly sagging, and the angle made his eyes look more sunken than they really were. For what had to have been the three-thousandth time that night, I chewed on my bottom lip, thinking. Something just didn’t seem right, but I couldn’t put my finger on it, and it was slowly but surely driving me insane.

    “Sarah, you’ve been staring at him non-stop.” Jerking at the voice that was right in my ear, I jumped before turning. Staring blankly at Cate for a split second, blinking once, I slowly shook my head, a shy smile gracing my lips.

    “Sorry… What?”

    “Ugh!” Slumping back in her seat, she gestured toward Loki, not bothering to keep her voice down. “You keep looking at him! Why?”

    “What’s going on?” Maddie, who was staring at me from behind Cate, tilted her head to the side, but my face only fell. Glancing down at my toes, my gaze darted back to him before I shook my head.

    “I don’t know… Like, something’s off, but I don’t know what it is…” Trailing off, words uncertain, the two looked at each other before Cate patted me on the back.

    “Don’t worry about it! You’ll figure it out!”

    “Yeah,” Maddie gave the sleeping god a once over, “he is a little weird. I mean, from a murderous god standpoint.”

    My eyes widened, a chuckle flying free before I could stop it. “What?”

    She threw her arms in the air, grin eating up her face, “Oh, I don’t know. Shush you.” Pulling even more laughter from my chest, the mood significantly lightened the longer we continued to talk, until we could mostly forget where we were for the time being, and who we were with.

    It wasn’t until the plane stopped moving that we all went quiet, Tony walking out without a word, while Steve and Natasha stood back and watched Thor approach Loki, hand outstretched to wake him. Quicker than the lightning Thor could summon, Loki was sitting poised in his seat, eyes glowing with confidence and an anger that seemed bone deep. Thor, slowly, let his hand drop. Natasha, growing impatient, shoved past the big man, yanking Loki up and leading him outside where one could see people rushing back and forth, in military lines. Steve followed after giving Thor a rather sad look.

    Left behind, things became more strained, little shuffles echoing in the silence. A moment passed before Cate gradually walked over to him, patting him on the back. “Come on, big guy. Let’s go.” He glanced down at her, big blue eyes searching hers for… _something_ , before he huffed out a long sigh and nodded. Getting the response she wanted, Cate offered him a wide smile and bounced off, leading the way. Not even a second later an excited shout came from outside.

    Making our way after her, free of the confines of the ship, we paused. Attention caught up in our surroundings, for a period of time I just stood there, gaping. On a run way of some sort, several more Quinjets were lined up not far off, and at the center of it all were several buildings that were mixed up like some miniature city. Nearly a hundred people milled about outside, from pilots to what were probably engineers and technicians, what with their clipboards and tools scattered around their feet. Cate, however, was more interested in what appeared to be the edge of whatever platform we were standing on.

    “Guys! This thing’s flying!”

    “What?” I ignored the fact that my voice was a little higher than normal, going over to peek, scurrying backwards as I realized not only was she right, but there was no sight of the ground whatsoever. Maddie didn’t even attempt to get close, her fear of heights turning her off.

    Even I, who had no such fear, found that at this height, whatever it may have been, it didn't matter. My stomach doing several unpleasant twists. Pulling Cate along with me, she scampered off again, chasing after Tony and the others, leaving Thor, Maddie, and I to catch up on our own.

    It was then the silence became extremely tense, my soul begging me to do something. Typically, I would not be the one to try and start up a conversation. I was good at listening and I was even better at pretending the awkwardness didn’t exist when it very clearly did.

    This time, though, I decided it had to be a little different. Especially with the questions raking at the back of my mind. “Thor? Can I ask you something?” I felt rather than saw Maddie’s gaze flash to me, but I didn’t meet it as the big man gave me a once over, giving a short nod.

    “Yes? What is it?” Given permission now, I wrung my hands together nervously but pushed forward.

    “Well, Loki… he’s really your brother?” This seemed to catch him off guard, his gaze flickering forward then back down.

    “Yes, he is.” The way he said the words were almost mournful, but also not, his focus not on the present, but on something only he could see. I hesitated before continuing, not wanting to push my luck, yet too curious not to.

    Maybe, since he was in fact Loki’s family, he could clear some things up for me so I wouldn’t have to resume my constant wondering over the god. If his actions today, or I guess it was the day before at this point, were normal, then my suspicions would be sated. I could just move on.

    That was my motivation to speak up, my words soft. “Has he… always been like this?” Thor froze where he stood, and for a moment I thought he wasn’t going to respond, but he eventually shook his head.

    “No. My brother has always been a trickster, but he’s never gone this far… Not like this.” Narrowing my eyes, wondering what exactly he meant, Tony shouted at us to hurry our asses up, effectively shutting down any more room for talking. Maddie, in return, flipped him off with a small smile, earning a similar gesture back before we all jogged up to the rest of the group, Loki being led off by a squad of men in full body armor.

    The human kind, not the Asgardian kind. Whatever that looked like.

    “Where are they taking him?” Thor followed his brother with his gaze, only looking away when Tony answered, rolling his eyes.

    “To lock up, obviously. We can’t just leave him standing somewhere.” Thor shuffled, looking more than mildly dejected, which got him another pat from Cate and one from Maddie as well. Natasha wasn’t having any of it, though.

    “Let’s go. Director Fury is waiting for us.” Glaring around at the group, she turned on her heel and stalked off like an angry cat, leaving the rest of us to hurry after, Tony leisurely bringing up the rear.

    The hallways inside the main building were long and twisting; I was sure I’d never be able to find my way around on my own, and we only came to a stop when the white and grey walls had finally blended together in my mind, numbing it just a bit.

    The door slid open, revealing a type of conference room. In the center was a large, circle shaped table, several chairs in place around it. Even they and the drawers that littered the room were grey, creating a very monotone space that was simultaneously nerve-racking and uniform.

    “Okay, guys, haven’t you ever heard of interior decorating?” Cate muttered just loud enough to be heard, but no one answered her and she huffed, flopping down into one of the seats. Doing the same, but in a more refined way, I noticed the screen beneath my fingers, an image of a room pictured there. It was similar to this one, grey and black, but the only thing within was a glass cage and a console off to the side.

    I had a feeling I knew who this prison was for.

    The overwhelming silence was broken when a scrawny man entered and walked off to the side, my attention snapping up even though he never said a word, crossing his arms over his chest. He wore a purple shirt, that was more than wrinkled, sitting almost sideways on his shoulders, and a pair of khakis pants that were in an identical condition. On his face sat a pair of oval glasses, and his hair was black. Not as black as Loki’s, I noticed, but a lighter shade.

    It was then a voice echoed around us, coming from over head and beneath my hands, and I glanced down only to freeze as Loki was walked into view of the camera. A guard shoved him into the cage, confirming my prediction, the door sealing shut with a sound suspiciously like an airlock. A dark skinned man appeared just as it did, striding around to the console. I barely registered Maddie’s hand come down on my shoulder as she watched from behind me.

    “Let me spell this out for you.” The gruff voice was the same one that had talked to Natasha back on the Quinjet, and I finally had a face to put to the name Fury. A black eye patch, a long black coat, a black button up, and a black pair of pants. Not that I didn’t appreciate the color choice, I wear pretty much all black as well, but somehow it only made the wrinkles on his face deeper, stress lines evident even from the camera.

    Hitting a few buttons, Fury flipped up a small glass cover, a red switch underneath, and as if on cue, the floor beneath Loki’s prison opened, revealing nothing but empty sky below, and my stomach dropped. Loki, on the other hand, seemed less than bothered, practically strutting over to the edge of the glass to peer down. The sound of wind attacked the camera’s speakers, but it only lasted a moment before the feed cut it out, Fury’s voice booming through again.

    “Thirty thousand feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?” More buttons were pushed and the death trap disappeared. Fury gestured from Loki to the red switch. “Ant… Boot.”

    Loki merely laughed, cold and clipped, making my jaw clench as he slowly stepped back to the middle of his cell. “It’s an impressive cage, not built, I think, for me.”

    Fury raised his head up in a challenge. “Built for something a lot stronger than you.”

    Loki didn’t appear intimidated in the least, turning to the camera and staring at it, through it, almost as if he could actually see me and everyone else on the other side. “Oh, I’ve heard. A mindless beast who makes play he’s still a man.” Head shooting up, I barely caught Natasha glancing at the new man in the room, who seemed uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot as his body tensed.

    Loki did not stop there. “How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you.”

    “How desperate am I?” Fury sounded truly irritated now. “You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can’t hope to control. You talk about peace, but you kill ‘cause it’s fun.” As his rant went on, the shadow over Loki’s face darkened, until not a sign of his usual smirk was present, only a deep set frown. “You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did.”

    There was silence for what felt like an hour packed into one minute. Then, Loki’s face twisted, and I realized I spoke too soon as his grin came back. He responded with a hiss, scorn thick in his voice. “Oh~ It burns that you were so close. To have the Tesseract. To have power.”

    Swaying on his feet, Loki’s head tilted back and the gleam in his eyes became mocking. “Unlimited power. And for what?” He went back to staring at the camera, and it was obvious he was no longer talking simply to Fury, if he ever had been, but now he was addressing the whole ship. “A warm light for all mankind to share? And then to be reminded of what real power is.”

    There was a staring contest as the two butted heads, blue glaring into brown, and Loki’s face fell back into a serious frown as Fury huffed out a dry chuckle. “Well, let me know if real power wants a magazine or something.” Loki didn’t say a word, turning away and walking toward the camera before it shut off, the screen going dark.

    “He really grows on you, doesn’t he?” The man in glasses said, a wry smile on his face as everybody looked at him.

    Steve cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair, “Loki’s going to drag this out. So…” Eyes darting to Thor, his voice held no sign of sympathy for the man who hadn’t moved from his spot staring at a corner. “What’s his play?”

    Ever so slowly, as if he couldn’t bring himself to say the words, Thor explained, his voice slightly uneven. “He has an army called the Chitauri. They’re not of Asgard, or any world known.” Taking a deep breath, he continued. “He means to lead them against your people.”

    “Well, that’s a shitty first impression.” Cate muttered from where she’d been rather patiently silent this whole time, arms across her chest as she stared grudgingly down at her screen.

    “Cate, I nearly shot him. Twice.” Giving her a deadpanned look, she shrugged, not taking it back, and this earned her another dry laugh from the man in glasses. She then turned her attention to him.

    “Who’re you?”

    “Doctor Banner.”

    “Ah.” She nodded once, then went back to glaring at the table, forgetting or just not bothering to introduce herself, but he didn’t seem to mind, going back to pacing. Feeling Maddie’s hand tighten on my shoulder, I gave her what I hoped to be a reassuring pat and small smile, though my mind was still elsewhere.

    The conversation picked up where it had left off. “He has an army. From space?” Steve looked from face to face, as if they could somehow explain to him how, after being frozen for over seventy years, everything could change so drastically.

    No one cared to answer, Natasha looking away bitterly, and Banner just jumped in. “So, he’s building another portal. That’s what he needs Erik Selvig for.” Thor twitched at the name, pulled from his thoughts before he shook his head.

    “Portal?” Cate perked up slightly, yet still no one acknowledged her, and she continued to pout. “Guys, come on! Tell us!”

    “Who are you again?” Natasha whipped her head around to glare at her, but Cate only stood her ground.

    “I’m one of the girls who got dragged into a fucking journey across the world just because I wanted to take a little look around Stark Tower! Now, you brought us here! Tell us what the hell’s going on!” Cate was barely ever serious; she could be wild and unpredictable most of the time, especially for those who don’t know her. At this point, though, she seemed ready to smack a bitch and have no problem with fighting the consequences.

    Everyone but Maddie and I looked at each other, and I stood before things could get any worse, holding out pleading hands. Though I was nervous, small tremors in my fingers, I managed to keep my words steady. “It’s true that… we were kinda pulled into this, but since we’re here can you please explain? We already know this much.”

    Natasha stared holes into me, but that’s when the door behind her slid open. “Tell them. It won’t hurt anything else.” Fury walked into the room, his very presence demanding everybody’s attention, but instead of reacting to it, most of us just stiffened. His gaze darted from me, to Maddie, then to Cate, who didn’t hesitate to scowl at him.

    As if pulling out her own teeth, Natasha sighed and began, gaze going to her hands that were clenched on the table top. “In two days, he’s killed eighty people, stolen the Tesseract, and taken control of Selvig and… one of our own.”

    “Selvig?” Thor cut in, straightening as he suddenly looked more concerned. Brought back to the present.

    Banner held out as hand as if to be of service. “He’s an astrophysicist.”

    “He’s a friend.” Thor murmured, going silent again as Maddie finally spoke up for the first time.

    “You said he’s controlling them? Selvig and…” Natasha didn’t answer, leaving Maddie to glare before continuing, “This other person?”

    “We don’t know how, but it appears it has something to do with his staff.” Fury waved his hand in the air as if to keep the information flowing.

    Steve’s hand thumped onto the table as he dropped it from where he’d been rubbing his chin. “I want to know why Loki gave himself up. He’s not leading an army from here.”

    Banner butted in, “I don’t think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy’s brain is a bag full of cats. You can smell crazy off of him.”

    “Have care how you speak.” Thor’s attitude suddenly changed, from having been quite passive all this time to standing taller and voice growing dark. “Loki is beyond reason but he is of Asgard.” He didn’t hesitate on the next line, only nodding once as if to reaffirm the fact to himself. “And he is my brother.”

    Face falling just a bit, I held my tongue for the time being as Natasha shot him a look. Thor held it for a moment before his shoulders slumped. “He’s adopted?”

    Sighing, disappointment bloomed in my chest, but I merely sat back down. I went from having a lot of questions to having a shit ton of questions. _Great_.

    After a short silence, Banner started again. “The iridium… What do they need the iridium for?”

    Low and behold, Tony strode into the room with yet another man, his voice confident as he walked straight pass the table and looked out the window against the wall, staring down at the people on the other side. “It’s a stabilizing agent. He needs it so the portal won’t collapse on itself like it did at Shield.” Glancing at Thor, who just so happened to be within arms reach, he patted the god on the shoulder once. “No hard feelings, Point Break. You got a mean swing.”

    Thor did not seem amused, though I heard Maddie snort from behind me, and I thought I saw Stark’s smirk widen before he continued.

    “It means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Loki wants.” Sliding open the window, he gestured vaguely to the people below, calling out orders that were not followed in the least, earning him more than a few glares. He froze for a minute, before pointing off suddenly to his right. “That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn’t notice… but we did.” Again, Maddie snickered, and I shook my head, trying to remain impassive even as a smile pulled at the corners of my lips.

    He then put a hand over one of his eyes, turning to a woman off to the side. “How does Fury even see these?”

    “I turn.” Fury sounded like he was an inch away from throwing him out of the room, and Tony’s lips thinned before he nodded.

    “Sounds exhausting.” This time Maddie full on laughed, and I knew for certain that Stark’s grin grew larger. _Well, that was interesting._

    Just as quickly as his joking started, however, it came to an end. “The rest of the raw materials Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source of a high energy density. Something to…” He trailed off before clapping and snapping, seemingly searching for the term he wanted to use. “Kick start the cube.”

    “Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?” Steve, again, sighed, and I felt rather bad for the man who’d been lost all this time1, who now had to deal with a very sarcastic man like Tony right off the bat.

    Thankfully, he got a reprieve from Banner, who began to explain before Tony could. “He’d have to heat the cube to one hundred and twenty million kelvin.”

    “Damn, that’s hot.” Cate muttered, interrupting and receiving a raised eyebrow from Banner before he just pushed on.

    “He’d have to do that to break through the barrier around the cube.”

    “And by cube, we’re talking about this Tesseract, right?” Everybody seemed startled by my soft voice joining in, timidly asking for confirmation that they, thankfully, weren’t too judgemental about giving, Steve giving me a small nod. I thanked him quietly before gesturing for them to continue.

    “He’d have to do that, unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the Quantum Tunneling Effect.” Having barely been good at normal Physics, all this science talk was pretty much going over my head, none of it made much sense to me other than the fact that Loki would have to heat up the Tesseract a lot to get it to work unless this Selvig person made a way to bypass that. I was proud of myself for understanding the basics, at least.

    Tony and Banner, however, ignored the fact that I wasn’t the only one without a genius brain, continuing to talk in their own language for a moment before Tony grinned.

    “Finally, someone who speaks English!”

    Steve rubbed at his eyes. “Is that what just happened?”

    Stark held out his hand, Banner meeting him halfway, and they shook on their mutual IQs. “It’s good to meet you, Doctor Banner. Your work on anti-electronical collisions is unparalleled and I’m a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous, green, rage monster.” Banner stiffened, nodding and letting out a huff out air before he pulled away, taking a step away from Tony.

    “Thanks…”

    Cate, jumping to her feet, crowded them in seconds. "I'M AN ASTROPHYSICIST! I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID!" Tony's words must've caught up with her. Staring at Banner in what seemed to be a little bit of awe. “Wait… What?” There was a tense silence and I managed to catch Cate’s eyes with my own, giving her a little shake of the head. Not now.

    “Doctor Banner is only here to track the cube.” Fury put his foot down, voice cutting off any further part of that conversation anyway. “I was hoping you might join him.” Tony glanced at Banner, who met his gaze with a nod, and Steve jumped back in.

    “I’d start with that stick of his. It maybe magical, but it works an awful lot like a Hydra weapon.”

    Fury shook his head, though, voice getting rougher as he went on. “I don’t know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I’d like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys.”

    “Monkeys?” Thor’s brows furrowed, wrinkles appearing on his forehead. “I do not understand-”

    “I do!” Steve shouted in victory, pointing at Thor who just continued to stand like a house dropped on him, searching for an answer no one would give. There was a moment of awkward silence, Steve’s hand dropping back to the table. “I… understood that reference…” He trailed off as everyone stayed quiet.

    Tony then, thankfully, broke the tension. “Shall we play, doctor?”

    Banner nodded and gestured toward the door. “This way.” Together they fled, disappearing from sight very quickly. Cate immediately stood and followed them, but Natasha grabbed her arm.

    “And where do you think-”

    “Do you want me to stay _here_?”

    This shut the redhead up, but only when Fury waved a hand did she release Cate and let her go after the two men. “They can keep an eye on her.”

    Watching Cate vanish, I thought about speaking against it, but decided not to. They’d just have to learn the hard way if she was going to blow something up. Besides, she’d gotten better about not touching random things.

    “In that case, I’m going too. That’s where the fun’s gonna be.” Maddie announced, waving and striding through the door like she knew every step of this place inside and out, though we’d just arrived. I watched her go, debating whether I should consider going as well before I just shook my head.

    “You have quite the friends.” I was caught off guard when Steve spoke to me, but I couldn’t stop the fond grin that crossed my lips.

    “That’s true, but they’re good people, if not headstrong.” The silence in the room was a little less tense now, what with half the people being gone. The man who walked in with Tony stepped forward, and I stood to meet him.

    “My name is Agent Coulson.” Offering me his hand, I took it and shook as expected, but he said nothing else, smiling and leaving the room, probably with something else to do.

    Taking my time to look around, seeing that Natasha and Steve had dived into a quiet conversation and Fury was off watching the people below, I decided to approach the last one present.

    “Thor?” Slowly going to his side, I leaned forward, studying his face and frowning at what I saw. Despite his young appearance, he appeared so much older, his brows creased with stress lines similar to Fury’s and his eyes a stormy blue. He didn’t seem to notice me at all, so I tried again, putting a gentle hand on his arm, repeating his name.

    This time he shook himself out of whatever world he was in, blinking and staring down at me. “Yes?” Even his deep voice was weak, worry building in my chest.

    Less certain now, I pulled my hand back and began to twist my fingers together. “Well… I was curious… About what you told me earlier? About Loki being different?” I could have sworn I saw Thor flinch at the mention of his brother’s name, guilt making my jaw clench, but he nodded, looking at the wall behind me like it could reveal to him some secret.

    “Yes, he’s changed. When we were young he wasn’t violent.” He shook his head as if to deny his own words. “We were raised as warriors of course, and my brother is a fearsome fighter, though he tends toward what are considered cowardly methods.” At the questioning tilt of my head, his arms crossed over his chest and he gave me an understanding but wry grin. “My brother is talented in the ways of magic, just as our mother is, and he likes to use his illusions to gain the upper hand.”

    My mind flashed back to the other Loki who had appeared after I’d shot away his staff, the one who was suddenly just there, right in front of me. The way I wiped the image away. The green tint around the fake Loki’s body. So, that’s what that had been.

    “And those means are cowardly on your planet?” I didn’t understand. If somebody was a great warrior, despite the methods he used, why would they be considered as such? So, Loki was a bit more clever in his attacks. That could make for all the difference in a battle. Tricks were an important strategic advantage.

    “Yes. My people pride themselves on facing your foe yourself. I agreed…” Trailing off, Thor’s face saddened. “Not anymore, though.” Biting my lower lip, my eyes darted over to the screen where, not minutes ago, Loki had been shown.

    “What was he like, then, on your world?” This, surprisingly, pulled a laugh from him, but it was a soft laugh, lacking any real amusement and filled with mourning.

    “Oh, he liked to play his tricks. If he wasn’t practicing magic then he was using it to mess with our servants and fellow warriors.” Raising a hand to his chin, he stroked his stubble. “I remember, once, when we were barely older than children, he turned the cup in our tutor’s hands into a snake, scaring the life out of her.” Shaking his head, a small smile made his lips turn up. “We shared such a laugh over that. It’s almost like it was yesterday, and it wasn’t even a big snake, either, just a little thing. Green, bright green, like Loki’s eyes.”

    Having been grinning along with him, his final sentence was like a punch to the gut, mouth going dry. Thor continued to tell some more stories, but I only paid half a mind to them as the implications of what he’d said sunk in.

    “Thor.” Cutting him off quite suddenly, his eyes widened as he looked down at me. “Did you say Loki has green eyes?”

    “Yes? Why do you ask?” But I was already making my way over to Fury. Thor trailed behind, curious about my sudden change in behavior.

    He barely glanced at me, but something on my face must've said something was wrong. “May I help you?”

    Bowing my head, I ground my teeth together, thinking silently before I finally managed to sort _some_ through my thoughts.

    “You said Loki is controlling your men, right? How did he do it?”

    “With that staff.” Natasha called out from her seat, pointing a finger to her chest as she practically jabbed herself. “He touched them with the end of it and their eyes turned blue.”

    “As she said. I’ve never seen anything like it. The bastard caught us off guard.” Nodding along with his words, but not really listening, I stared at my feet, the implications of their words rolling about in my head and mixing with the information I already knew. That’s why he was so injured. Why he looked terrible. That had to be it.

    “What are you thinking?” The closeness of Fury’s voice made me flinch and my gaze jumped up to find he was standing much closer now. I somehow forced myself to answer, fingers like vices around one another.

    “Just… I noticed something about Loki back in Germany. He had some bruises on his neck and he looked pretty run down… I thought that maybe it was from everything he’d done… but his eyes are blue.” Fury’s brows went up so fast I thought they'd fly off, eyes flickering over me once before he glanced at Thor, who let out a rough chuckle.

    “But, my brother’s eyes are green.”

    Shaking my head quickly, I jumped in before they could completely write me off. “No, they aren’t! I actually ran into Loki before he attacked and we were fairly close together and I know his eyes were blue!”

    Humming, Fury looked around the room, making me realize that everyone’s eyes were on me now, and I stiffened, a light blush coming to my cheeks. Fury didn’t seem to notice my embarrassment. “So, what are you suggesting? That he’s not in control of his own actions?”

    Swallowing hard, I glanced away, thinking and putting together the pieces inside my head, and when I finally met his eyes again, I nodded once. No hesitation in the motion. “I think so.”

    “I’m not so sure, Sarah.” Thor leaned back against the wall, studying me with a curious look on his face. “It is true that this is different from his tricks in the past, but Loki… Isn’t all innocent.”

    I froze, blinking once as I looked over at him. “What do you mean?”

    He went back to scratching at his chin. “Well, my brother disappeared over a year ago, but before that he tried to take the throne and kill off a race known as the Frost Giants.” He hesitated before saying that word, continuing after a brief silence. “He had just found out that he was adopted, and his actions, according to him… were done so he could become my equal.” Shaking his head, tearing his eyes away from anything but the floor under his feet, his voice dropped and I barely heard what he said next. “Even though he already was.”

    The frown on my face deepened at this new information, but it still didn't change certain facts. “It's similar... but there’s still eye color. If the people he’s controlling have blue eyes, then what if he’s being controlled?”

    “But by who?” Steve finally stood and walked over, taking up the space beside Fury.

    Sighing, I brought a hand up, running my knuckles over my mouth, ideas flickering through my mind before I just shook my head. “Maybe one of the Chitauri? I’m not sure… But the staff glows blue, right? If that’s how he’s controlling people, maybe that’s how somebody’s controlling him.”

    “It makes… a decent amount of sense.” Fury glanced over his shoulder at the command center below, gaze darting over everything to make sure it was still the same as the last time he looked. “I need to think for a while.”

    Nodding, my attention turned back to Thor, “Do you mind, then, if I ask you a few more questions?” Gradually, he shook his head, following me over to the table where we sat, and it wasn’t long before Steve and Natasha followed, scooting closer to listen in as well. Even Fury, I had a feeling, was paying attention to what was being said, even if he didn't appear to be.

    “So… I know a bit about Norse mythology… You’re the son of Odin, right?” He nodded, and I gave him a timid smile. That meant that not everything was the same, then, because in the old stories Loki wasn’t Thor’s brother but his uncle. Then it struck me that I was probably speaking to royalty.

    “And you’re the prince of Asgard?” Again, he nodded and I looked away before leaning back in my seat. Rubbing the back of my neck, already feeling bad for what I was going to say next. “So, what happened a year ago? On Asgard, I mean. You said Loki was missing?” Thor stiffened, eyes darting away before he huffed and put his arms on the table.

    Then he explained.

    Loki’s true heritage. The words he confronted Thor with on the Bifrost. His actions concerning the Frost Giants. Letting go and falling into the abyss below Asgard. All of it. However, where most people probably would’ve condemned him immediately for his attempted genocide, I stayed quiet, mind swirling with all the new information, and I couldn’t help but have my heart go out to the other prince.

    Raised to believe Frost Giants were evil and constantly having to sit back and endure his older brother’s shadow… I’m surprised it had taken Loki as long as it did for him to snap. It made unwavering sense. Then again, Loki claimed he wanted to rule the Earth now, when he told Thor that he never even wanted to be king in the first place. It was like a family dispute blown into godly proportions, literally.

    “Well, I think that explains a lot.” Natasha deadpanned, crossing her arms over her chest as she huffed. Steve voiced his agreement and Thor went quiet, recovering from his storytelling. I was thankful for him explaining, saying so in a soft voice which earned me a weak grin from him, and I sighed.  

    Picturing what happened in my mind, I became ever more sure that Loki wasn’t the enemy here. He'd made the wrong decision, lost everything in a single day in his attempts to prove himself, from his brother’s trust to his father’s support, though it sounds like he never had Odin’s support in the first place.

    What really sealed the deal for me, though, was the fact that Loki had condemned himself to death by letting go of his father’s staff. Thor hadn’t thrown him off. Loki had been so abashed by everything that had happened, he didn't know what else to do with himself.

    That hurt more than anything else ever could.

    “I’m… going to go check on Cate and Maddie. Thanks again, Thor.” My voice was more than a bit shaky, earning me a few glances, but I didn’t bother to elaborate. Instead, as I stood, I reached out a hand that lacked its usual hesitation, letting it rest on the god’s for a moment. “Don’t give up on him yet. I know you don’t fully believe me… but something’s not right.”

    Staring at my hand, he eventually met my eyes and nodded, his gaze suspiciously watery.

    With that, I escaped from the room, moving like a woman on a mission. Which I was. I needed a few more answers, so I could finally connect all the pieces together. Sure, Loki’s eyes were blue, but we’d need more proof than that to prove he wasn’t in control. So, the lab where the staff was being kept was my best bet for finding what I was looking for.

    If only I’d asked for directions. I was lost within minutes, wandering into several more rooms that looked nothing like a lab, even once peeking into the men’s bathroom which had me sufficiently blushing, though thankfully there was no one in there. It took several more minutes for me to actually work up the nerve to ask one of the many people bustling back and forth for help, but to my relief the woman I stopped was kind enough to lead me to where I needed to go.

    “Thank you.” I bowed my head, all too aware of Cate and Maddie staring at me from behind the lab doors, but only when I entered did they jump me.

    Maddie threw an arm around my shoulder. “You got lost, didn’t you?”

    Pouting just a little bit, I turned my nose up at her. “It doesn’t matter.”

    Cate opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off, pointing at her with narrowed eyes. “Cate Sweadner, you would’ve gotten lost too. Shush.” She merely grinned, neither denying or agreeing, just poking me in the arm with a knowing look.

    “Well, you’ve missed out on a lot. Tony keeps trying to make Banner lose control.” My head jerked to glare at him, but he raised his hands in an act of innocence.

    “It’s a matter of science.”

    Maddie, again, snickered, earning a smile from him and a scowl from me.

    “Don’t encourage him.”

    “Oh~ I’m not.”

    Cate shook her head. “She’s lying.”

    “Don’t worry about it too much.” Banner’s head poked out from behind some machine, giving me a nod in greeting before continuing his work. “He won’t get what he wants. I wouldn’t have come on board if I couldn’t handle pointy things.”

    Somewhat assured, and somewhat not, I slowly hummed, ignoring one problem for the one I actually came here to solve. Locking on target and walking toward the staff, which was propped up on a table right in the center of the room. It was connected to several wires and sandwiched between two seperate devices, probably used for gathering data. Other than the rhythmic pulsing of the weapon, it seemed relatively secure.

    “How’s everything going on in here?” Steve’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I glanced behind me, frowning just a bit. Where was he twenty minutes ago when I was wandering the ship full of spies?

    “Just peachy.” Stark announced, typing a few more things on one of the computer screens before he looked up at the captain. “You know, if I could finally get all the variables to the equation.”

    “What?” Steve’s face twisted as his brows furrowed and Tony sighed before slapping a tool into the palm of his hand almost in irritation.

    “Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn’t he telling us?”

    Ever so slowly, Cap crossed his arms. “You think Fury’s hiding something?”

    “He’s a spy,” Tony nodded, tinkering with one of the many lab machines before meeting Steve’s eyes. “Captain, he’s _the_ spy. His secrets have secrets.” Pointing over at Banner, Tony huffed. “It’s bothering him too, isn’t it?”

    The doctor finally paused, looking between the two before shaking his head, waving his hands through the air. “Um… I just wanna finish my work here, and-”

    “Doctor?” Steve cut him off, Banner’s mouth snapping shut before he sighed. Taking off his glasses, he stared at them for a moment. “A warm light for all mankind. Loki’s jab at Fury about the cube.”

    I glanced over at Cate and Maddie, seeing no reaction from them, and guessed they’d heard this already, but now that it had been pointed out… It made sense that he would be keeping a lot of his hand close to his chest.

    “I heard it.” Steve pushed, my attention coming back right on time.

    “Well, I think that was meant for you.” Banner gestured to Tony, who raised an eyebrow before tossing the doctor a bag of what appeared to be blueberries, the man gratefully taking a few before popping them in his mouth. “Even if Barton didn’t tell Loki about the tower it was still all over the news.”

    “The Stark Tower?” Looking between the two scientists, Steve was awarded a nod from Tony.

    “Bingo Bango, Cap.”

    “It’s powered by an Arc Reactor that’s a self-sustaining energy source.” Tony smirked, obviously proud of his accomplishment.

    “That building will run itself for what? A year?” Banner glanced over at Stark whose grin widened.

    “It’s just a prototype, but yeah.” Raising his chin in the air, he puffed out his chest. “I’m kinda the only name in clean energy right now. That’s what he’s getting at.”

    “So… why didn’t Shield bring him in for the Tesseract project?” Banner finally got around to the point, setting down the screwdriver he’d been messing with while he spoke. “I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?”

    “I should probably look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of Shield's secure files.” Taking out his phone, Stark walked around the table, searching through something before nodding to himself. Groaning quietly, I rubbed at my face while Steve took a step toward him.

    “I’m sorry, did you say-”

    “Jarvis has been running it since I first stepped foot onto the bridge.” Tony met the Captain’s challenge head on, never looking away even as the man in blue frowned. “In a few hours, I’ll know every dirty secret Shield has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?” Holding out the same bag to Steve, he didn’t receive an answer.

    “And you’re confused about why they didn’t want you around.”

    “An intelligence organization that fears intelligence?” Tony rolled his eyes, as though he were explaining something to a child. “Historically not awesome.”

    Steve only shook his head. “I think Loki’s trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war.” He stopped to glance at me, holding up a hand to stop me from saying anything, “Whether it’s of his own choice or not, so we have to stay focused or he’ll succeed.” Putting a hard glare on both scientists, he nodded to himself once, as though trying to convince himself of that too. “We have orders. We should follow them.”

    Tony just huffed, turning away, and tossing a few blueberries into his mouth. “Following’s not really my style.”

    Steve sighed. “And you’re all about style, aren’t you?”

    “Hey!” Maddie stormed forward, pushing past Tony to stand practically nose to nose with the Captain. Stark's eyes went wide before, ever so slowly, he put a hand to her shoulder. His voice, when he spoke, held the slightest hint of venom.

    “Out of everybody in this room, who is one: wearing a spangly outfit, and two: not of use?”

    Steve stiffened, a muscle in his jaw jumping, and Banner quickly jumped in before the tension could rise anymore.

    “Steve, tell me that none of this smells a little funky to you?”

    Glancing over at the Doctor, then back to Tony, then down at Maddie, his jaw clenched tighter and he turned, pretty much stomping from the room. “Just find the cube.”

    Maddie growled quietly in her throat before storming her way back over to Cate, who patted her on the back, and I sighed, joining them. These guys… were kinda a mess, weren't they?

    “That’s the man my dad never shut up about? I’m starting to think it would’ve been better to leave him on ice.” Tony huffed, going over to one of the computers after tucking his phone back into his pocket. Banner chuckled, hitting a few buttons on his own screen before responding.

    “The guy’s not wrong about Loki. He does have the jump on us.”

    “Actually-” I tried to butt in, but Tony was faster and much louder.

    “What the guy’s got is a dynamite kit that’s going to blow up in his face. And I’m going to be there when it does.” Banner laughed again, but I managed to catch their attention by clearing my throat. They both looked over at me and I pointed to the staff.

    “I actually have a question. Fury and Natasha said that Loki’s using the staff to control people, but is there any way it could be controlling him too?” Tony’s eyes narrowed, gaze darting to Banner before he spoke.

    “And why is that a question?”

    Taking a deep breath, I explained what they’d missed in the conference room, Banner staying silent but moving over to look more closely at the staff. Tony leaned back against a table.

    “So, you think somebody’s pulling Loki’s strings?” Nodding, I then had to shake my head.

    “I’m not a hundred percent sure, but maybe?”

    “His eyes _are_ blue!” Maddie joined in, tapping her fingers against her elbows as she thought. “I remember seeing them when we ran into him earlier.”

    “You ran into him?” Tony looked at her sharply, earning a timid smile, and I looked between the two of them. I must’ve missed something of my own if they were already chastising each other without blow back. Maddie was not one to just sit back and take it… oh. _Oh_.

    Well, at least I knew she wouldn't be bored. She had met another smug bastard to relate to.

    “Yeah, when we were in Germany. We ran into him about thirty minutes after we got there.” Cate shrugged, “It wasn’t a big deal.”

    Well, I wouldn’t say that, considering he was a murderous god, but yeah. Something along those lines. Snickering silently at the looks the two scientists were giving us, I forced my amusement away.

    “So, is it possible?”

    Banner hummed before slowly nodding. “I don’t see why not. This thing is definitely putting out a ton of energy as is.”  

    “Is there a way to snap him out of it, then?” Cate wondered aloud, getting up to pace, making Banner move out of the way to avoid bumping into her.

    “Probably.” Tony looked around the room, thinking, but he seemed to figure something out because he was suddenly grinning from ear to ear. “Maybe if we hit him hard enough, it’ll knock him to his senses?”

    “That, or he’d stab you.” Maddie chuckled, earning her a half-hearted glare from Tony, which made her grin wider.

    “Maybe… We could talk him out of it? We don’t know if the staff’s the only way they’re controlling him after all.” I murmured, earning a nod from Banner before Tony rolled his eyes dramatically.

    “But where’s the fun in that?" Giving him a deadpanned look, it made him smirk before he started to tinker again, Maddie going over to stand by his side and help him out when he needed it while Cate took the seat next to me.

    “They’re getting along well.” Gesturing to our friend, a knowing smile grew on Cate's face.

    “Oh, you bet they are. The snark between the two of them could sustain the entire population of New York.” From what I knew about Tony so far, that did not surprise me one bit. Watching the two of them interact, the shared smirks and laughter whenever one of them said something especially sarcastic... It was refreshing.

    But my thoughts were drawn back to Loki far quicker than I wanted them to be, and it was with him on my mind that Fury’s voice startled me from over the intercom. “Stark, Banner, bring those girls up to the command room. I want to speak with them.” There was a sharp beep, leaving no room for argument as the communication went dead, leaving Tony to sigh.

    “Come on then, before he gets his panties in a twist.” Tossing one of his tools back onto the table, a loud clang accompanying it, we all got up, Banner attempting to stay behind but getting pulled along by Cate.

    “What do you think he wants?” Maddie asked, but I only shrugged.

    “We were talking about Loki upstairs before I came down, so maybe he’s finally made a decision?” This earned me a glance from Tony, who stuffed his hands in his pockets.

    “You really think that guy’s being controlled?” Looking between him and the others, all eyes on me, I sighed. It made sense to me, but with everyone else on the fence like this it wasn't very reassuring. At least Maddie and Cate saw it too. It made me feel a little less crazy for defending him.

    “I’m honestly not sure, but… I can’t help but wonder.” He huffed and didn’t say anything else, but with the way his brows furrowed I hoped maybe he was at least considering it. Then again, with what Loki did a year ago on Earth, I didn’t think it would be too easy to convince them of his innocence.

    After walking around twisting halls for about five minutes we finally got back upstairs, Fury standing in the center of the room with his back to us. We spread out slowly. Nat was leaning up against the wall, Thor was staring at nothing again, and Coulson was talking to another employee in soft voices before sending the man scurrying off at our entrance.

    Fury didn’t waste a moment. “We’re going to talk to Loki again.”

    Looking over at my friends, my shoulders fell in a silent sigh of relief before I shrugged, and Cate took a step forward. “Okay? So, why are we here?”

    “Because,” he turned on his heel, marching up to me and giving me a once over, “I want you to talk to him.”

    For a long moment no one said a word, and in all honesty I didn’t fully process what he was saying. There was no doubt in my mind I looked like a deer in headlights.

    When I finally responded, my words were slightly choked. “What?”

    “We’re sending you in.” His tone left no room for arguing, but my gut dropped, eyes widening. Mouth opening and closing several times before I managed to shake my head once.

    “B-but… I don't even work here, and he's…” My eyes fell on Thor, and when he raised his eyebrow I paused, feeling my stomach flip again. Forcing my voice to steady, I slowly continued. “I just don't think this is a good idea.”

    “And why not?” Fury leaned back against the railing of the command center, the chorus of voices below slightly distracting. Holding out his hand, a woman popped out of nowhere and dropped a tablet into his waiting palm, which he then started scrolling through.

    “Name: Sarah Ridgeback. Trainee as a Foreign Service Officer, if you get the position you’d be exactly one step under whatever ambassador they assign you with. You’ve had high marks in all your classes…”

    Blushing the more he read I looked away, feeling the astonishment as I waved everything he said away. Voice soft and timid. “It’s not that great… or anything…”

    “Sarah.” At the exact same time my name echoed as a warning from Maddie and Cate, my gaze flicking to them pleadingly before falling silent.

    Fury only sighed. “You're right, you don't work here, but from what I've gathered you're the most level headed of your… friend group. To be honest, from what I've seen, you're better than many of my agents. Not to mention you’ve captured his attention.” He flipped the device in his hands around to show camera footage of me pointing my gun at Loki, followed by another image of us staring at one another while he was sitting on the stairs.

    “But-”

    “Sarah, just go for it.” Maddie gave me an encouraging smile, bringing her hand to my shoulder as she stepped to my side, but I shook my head, brows furrowing as I willed her to understand. I… I may not know him very well… But Loki… I wasn't the person they wanted when it came to talking to him. I’d mess something up or make things worse. I was only a trainee. I’d never dealt with stuff like this before. If he was really in a bad situation… I didn't want to hurt him more.

    But I shouldn't have doubted her as she let out an amused chuckle, pulling me to the side. “Let me talk to her.” She threw the words over her shoulder at Fury, not bothering to wait for permission she didn't need. We didn't go far anyway, just making it out of earshot before she paused. “Sarah, you know he's right. You can do this! From what you’ve told me, you understand more than you’re letting on-”

    Cutting her off, despite knowing she didn't like it, I shook my head. “No I don't. I know stories.” Gesturing to the door, I frowned. “You know I… You know that if I go through that damn door, I won't be able to promise anything.” Tightening her grip on my shoulders, she sighed, and this time it was heavier, but that didn’t last as her gaze started to burn.

    “It doesn't matter. You know what's going on with him. You can tell.” Flinching just slightly, my gaze darted away from her. I didn't speak and she took this as her confirmation. “They’ve even trained you for stuff like this, right? Not to mention all those videos they’ve had you watch.”

    I jumped to try and explain, “Just because I know the signs-”

    She covered my mouth, earning an angry look, but she glared right back. “You need to stop doubting yourself. If he doesn’t talk to you, he doesn’t talk to you. At least you tried.”

    A long period passed before she released me and I huffed, turning my attention to where Fury was watching us with an expectant gaze. When I didn’t say anything, Maddie gestured for Cate to come over, which she did.

    “What’d she say?”

    “She’s still saying no.” Maddie shoved me gently but I just turned sad eyes on them both.

    “Guys, I- How am I even supposed to start?”

    “Do you want to help him?” Maddie’s question caught me off guard, and I had to think before I bit my bottom lip, nodding. If…

    “If he’s really… not… If he’s not the one behind this, then yes. I want to help him clear his name.” Cate nodded, giving me a bright smile.

    “Then there’s your answer! Just try and see if you’re right. If it doesn’t work out, then there are other ways.” She gave me a little push, and I stared at my feet for a moment before meeting Fury’s eyes.

    “Okay. I’ll do my best.”

    He nodded, his serious expression never changing as he gestured to Coulson. “Agent, take her to him then.”     

    “Yes, sir.” Coulson gestured for me to follow him, and after I hesitated a moment, I trailed behind, ignoring the looks given to me by Stark and Banner. I bet none of them expected this. I certainly didn’t. The soft spoken, short, and completely non threatening girl like me to be anything remotely useful in gaining more intel.

    I hoped I could prove it wouldn't be a mistake as I prayed the whole way there that something would come to mind, something to get him to trust me. Even a bit. Of course, my thoughts remained unhelpfully blank, and I ended up watching the tiles pass beneath my feet as my stomach flipped inside out.

    Coulson's back nearly smashed into my face when he stopped, and I froze, eyes darting straight to the door behind him. He gave me what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile, but it really just seemed pitying. “Good luck. Remember, he can’t hurt you.”

    Taking a deep breath, I rolled onto my toes then back onto my heels. “Okay… I’m ready.”

    Pulling out a key card from his pocket, he swiped it across the pad next to the door, which then opened with a soft swoosh. I took a careful step inside, the door sealing shut behind me just as my eyes fell on his raven hair. As expected, my heart jumped into my throat and my mouth went dry. We stared at each other for a minute, and I dimly thought that I’d caught him off guard, but I couldn’t say a thing.

    This was already off to a _fantastic_ start.

    He, however, had no qualms about speaking before me.  “And this is who they send to speak with me. A mere mortal woman.” His steely gaze traveled over my form and the smirk that crossed his face spoke of disgust. I knew he was paying attention to my reaction, seeing if he’d hurt me, but all I could think of was how I guessed correctly what he was going to say first. He was predictable.

    So, I couldn’t be.

    Taking my time to walk forward, I left a good two feet between the glass of his prison and myself, never once taking my eyes off him as he came to stand in front of me, hands clasped behind his back. Figuring I should take a gradual approach, I offered what I hoped was a calming smile. My voice, thankfully, stayed even. “Hello again.”

    “You know, our situation never seems to change. You’re always the one who has the upper hand.” His words surprised me, he actually remembered me, and I tilted my head to the side in question, but he didn’t answer my silent request. Continuing on, “I know why you’re here.” Tilting his head back, his eyes flashed. “I won’t be telling you anything.”

    Raising a brow, I felt my grin turn sad without my consent and I nodded. “I know.” This seemed to startle him, the muscle right beneath his eye twitching once. Silence reigned between us, and while there was tension there, I also felt less nervous. Letting out a long sigh, I glanced up at the cameras. “They may want me to interrogate you, but in all honesty, Loki, I just want to talk to you. If that’s alright?”

    “Talk?” His eyebrows went up before a cruel smirk stretched across his face. “Well, my dear, I’m afraid I don’t want to speak with you.” He stared at me, probably expecting some sort of frustration, but I only chuckled dryly, giving him a tiny, unamused upturn of my lips.

    “I know that too. But… In that case, I’ll do the talking, and you listen?” It was a soft appeal, one he apparently didn’t know how to respond to as I came forward and touched the glass. Going completely against the screaming in the back of my mind telling me to be careful. “Loki, I’m not a member of Shield, I’m just a normal human. I was pulled into this and… I’ve been noticing some things.”

    His eyes narrowed. Just a fraction of an inch, but they narrowed. “What sorts of things?”

    Bringing my hands together in front of me, I studied him, eyes tracing his face. When I didn’t say, his brows twisted just slightly. “And my brother? What does he think of this? Or the people he’s working beside?” Loki let out a huff of air, tossing his hair over his shoulder with a sharp jerk of his head. When did, my eyes fell on the bruising toward the back of his cheek, near his ear, and my heart jerked.

    My grin grew wobbly. “It doesn’t matter, does it? Because I’m here, and they’re not.” He, again, did not seem to know what to say, and I prided myself on keeping the god of mischief on his toes. His eyes searched my face for something only he knew, and I let him do so without complaint, letting him feel at ease and free to do as he wished.

    “Is that so?” I nodded a single time.

    “It is.” There was another long pause and I slowly started speaking again. “I’ve heard a lot about you. From Thor.”

    He laughed wryly, “And what has my dear brother had to say about me, hm?”

    “That he doesn’t understand why you’re doing this.” Loki’s mouth snapped shut, body tensing as I crossed my arms over my chest, growing a pensive look. “He said you liked to play tricks on Asgard. Is that true?” Eyes flickering around him, as if he were expecting some sort of ploy on my part, he gradually nodded.

    “Yes, I guess one could say that.”

    I smiled, then, an actual grin that made the man do a second take. “He told me a story of you turning a cup into a snake and scaring your tutor.” He blinked as if he didn’t understand where I was getting at, and I continued on, “He said you gave the poor woman quite a fright…" A weak chuckle, followed by our eyes locking. “And he compared the green of the snake to your eyes.”

    Everything froze. His gaze finally brightened in understanding, body stiffening as the implications of what I was suggesting settled in. I, meanwhile, waited patiently, studying him for a reaction as I stared into the _blue_ eyes that weren’t his, surrounded by skin tinted dark with lack of sleep and waking nightmares. “Loki…” His name slipped out before I could stop it, a pained whisper I wish he hadn’t heard because he barked out a sharp laugh, his look now fire upon my skin.

    “Don’t you dare pity me, mortal! I will be king of this planet-”

    “But that’s not what you want.” Cutting him off with a gentle shake of my head, my expression didn’t change, staying open. “Didn’t you tell Thor that you’ve never wanted to be king?”

    He actually winced at my words, just the tiniest bit, but it was definitely there, and my eyes widened. If there was a way for my voice to get any softer after that, it did, becoming almost completely subdued. “You just wanted somebody to look at you like they did Thor, right? Wanted people to see that you were just as talented?” I pressed my entire hand against the glass as my other fingers brushed against my cheek. “What they’re making you do… It’s not going to make people respect you. They’re only hurting you.”

    His mouth dropped open just slightly, but my jaw only clenched, hands fisting as I let my arms fall away, spreading out in front of me in a pleading gesture. “Please, Loki… I don’t know everything. I can’t. I was just a bystander until today. But please… Let me help you. Let me try? You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

    Jerking, his arms fell to his sides, eyes blowing wide before he snarled, voice dropping as he came forward and slammed a fist into the glass. Words a tight hiss. _“That is enough.”_

    Staring at him, never flinching, I finally had to look away, eyes closing and a sigh escaping. Gradually, making sure not to hesitate, I made my way back to the glass, pressing my hand against where his fist was on the other side.

    “You may not believe me now… But please, just consider it. I know why you cannot say.” When I looked up, he was right there, ferocious _blue_ eyes making my throat tighten. Willing him with every part of my being, my voice cracked just a little as I remembered Thor’s words when we discussed him earlier. The man he had described to me. This man in front of me was broken, I firmly believed that now. This close, I could see the pain etched into his very skin, and it hurt just to look and know that he’d gone through something so horrible he’d been twisted into somebody he wasn’t.

    “You know nothing.” He growled at me, taking a step back himself as he turned away. I watched his back, the way his shoulders moved with his rushed breathing, the way his hands fisted and unfisted by his side. And, finally, the way his head jerked to the side, as if he were being punched in the face, something that was completely unnatural.

    In an instant, another Loki appeared before me in a flash of green light, a knife in hand as it lunged, murderous intent in his eyes, and it came closer and closer until-

    It passed right through me. I had not moved a muscle, just closing my eyes until the image was gone. When they opened, all I knew was that Loki was glaring at me, brows creased as his mouth moved once, as if he were whispering something to himself, and for the quickest moment, I thought I saw his gaze flicker green. Then the door slid open and Coulson came jogging up, grabbing my upper arm.

    “That’s enough. Fury’s called you back.” I could only nod, giving in when he gave another tug. Loki’s heated gaze stayed on my back until it couldn’t anymore, but by that point I already had my answer. I just had to get everybody to listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems Sarah is going to keep poking the bear. Let's see what happens


	6. It's Not Him.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah sees something, but will anyone else listen?

    Maddie and Cate were by my side the instant I entered the lab, frantically asking if I was okay, but one gesture was enough for them to stop, my glued eyes on Fury. “It’s not him.”

    “Seemed like it was him.” Tony commented from where he was leaning back in a chair, feet on the table.

    I shot him a look that was probably more than a little pleading, “Please, just hear me out. You saw everything, right? That’s not him.”

    “You don’t even know him.” Banner spoke up, Natasha agreeing with him, and I turned a burning gaze on the one who should've had all the answers. 

    “Fine, but  _ he _ does! Thor, what did you think?” When he didn’t answer, I had to quench the fire that rose in my gut, taking a deep breath before facing Fury again. “You asked me to talk to him, and I did, but you won’t even consider-”

    “I am considering it.” His glare had me biting my tongue, Maddie scowling from my side while I could practically feel Cate readying to flip him off. He didn't give her the time to. 

    “What you said did clearly bother him, and his reaction fits with what you’re trying to say. The point still remains, though, that if he is being controlled, then he’s still fighting for the wrong side.”

    “So we help him!” I gestured wildly back toward the door. “There’s got to be a way. You can’t just write off an innocent man!”

    “My brother is in no way innocent.” I froze. Thor’s words a punch to the gut as I just stared at him for a minute before shaking my head.

    “How can you say that, knowing he might’ve been  _ tortured _ ? Knowing that somebody  _ hurt him _ enough to bend him to their will?” The words were spit out with more… anger, than I would normally allow, arms crossing over my chest, but before I could continue, Tony stood.

    “Why’re you defending him? He almost killed you.”

    “He did, but that wasn’t his own choice. And, I prefer not to write people off just because they pissed me off.” It started as what one could call a minor pet peeve; the one that pushed me to become a diplomat. People were always just coming to conclusions before they had any proof, and once one bad thing was set in stone they labeled them and considered everything wrapped up with a neat little bow. Well, I wasn’t like that. And especially not in a case like this.

    “Sarah…” Maddie pulled on my sleeve and I glanced at her before forcing myself to calm, closing my eyes. When I opened them again, my arms moved out in a similar gesture to the one I’d given Loki not ten minutes ago. 

    “When I was talking to him, I saw his eyes turn green. Not only that, but he didn’t get violent until after I started asking him to join our side and pointed out that he was hurt.” Touching the spot near my ear, I frowned and backed off, shaking my head. Let them come to their own conclusions, I thought. I’ll just have to prove it to them. 

    Thor sighed heavily in the corner, rubbing at his eyes. “I appreciate what you’ve tried to do, but I really think my brother’s here only to get his revenge.” 

    “Think what you want.” Muttering under my breath, I stared at the floor like I could somehow drill a hole through it. Why couldn't they listen to me for a second? Was I not making any sense? Was I rambling? Or did they just see me like everyone typically did? As a useless child?

    Take it upon Steve to come bursting in right then and there, bringing a halt to the conversation and the thoughts chewing through my mind. Carrying a gun that looked about as heavy as a fucking cannon, he tossed it onto the table like it weighed nothing. “What the hell is this?”

    Fury turned a steely glare on him, but Tony hopped up, going to look at the weapon before glancing at Banner. “This, Captain, would be Phase Two. I was wondering when Fury was going to tell us about this.”

    “So, Shield's using the cube to make weapons.” I hadn’t seen Steve this worked up since the fight with Loki, his body stiff to the point where even I could’ve snapped him in half. And that was saying something. Guess our Loki, might be mind controlled business would have to wait.

    “Rogers, we’ve gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that-”

    “I’m sorry Nick.” Tony held up his phone, where an image of what could only be a missile was shown. “What were you saying?”

    “I guess you were wrong director. The world hasn’t changed a bit.” Steve’s back only got straighter when Fury marched up to him, meeting his challenge head on with an eerie amount of calm. 

    None of the heroes hesitated, though. Even Banner coming forward, glasses hanging hazardly from his fingertips as he turned everybody’s attention to Natasha. “Did you know about this?”

    “Did  _ you _ think about removing yourself from the situation?” Nat pointed at the table where I was sure she was talking about Loki. “I’m sure everybody agrees he’s probably targeting you, after everything he said earlier.”

    Banner only laughed, with a certain amount of venom mixed in. “I was in Calcutta before you all showed up on my doorstep. I was pretty well removed.”

    “Doctor, he’s going to manipulate you.”

    “And what have you been doing, exactly?” Calling her out on her shit, Banner walked over and met her glare with one that rivaled her own, but somehow he still seemed weaker than her. Then again, he probably was until he went into the whole green rage mode.

    Natasha's voice didn't even waver. “You didn’t come with me because I batted my eyelashes at you.”

    “No, but I’m not leaving because you suddenly get a little twitchy.” Moving to Tony, he pointed at the image still swirling on screen. “I’d like to know why Shield is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction.” 

    There was a brief period of silence, then Fury pointed at Thor, somewhat reminding me of a child blaming their sibling when they were caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be. In my opinion, it was pretty accurate. “Because of him.”

    Everybody froze, looking at the god as he gestured at himself. “Me?”

    “Last year, Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town.” Fury began walking in a circle, staring down every single person in the room as if they could somehow shrink beneath his gaze. “We learned not only that we’re not alone, but that we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned.”

    “My people are at nothing but peace with your planet.” Thor cut in, shaking his head, but Fury wasn’t done yet.

    “But you’re not the only ones out there, are you?” It wasn’t really a question. “And you’re not the only threat. The world’s filling up with people who can’t be matched. They can’t be controlled.”

    Steve wasn’t impressed in the least. “Like you controlled the cube?”

    Thor was already a pretty big guy, but when he drew himself up to full height he was almost scary big. “Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it. And his allies. It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war.”

    “A higher form?” Steve voiced it again, as if saying it twice would make it any less worrying. 

    “Are you fucking crazy? I’m all for some decent firepower, but that right there’s some messed up thinking Fury, even for me.” Cate crossed her arms, ignoring it when the director gave her a withering glare, not flinching in the slightest. When even the normal girl didn’t stand down, his face fell, just the tiniest bit.

    “You left us with no choice. We had to come up with some-”

    “A nuclear deterrent. ‘Cause that always calms everything right down.” Tony, for the first time since I’d met him, was fully serious, face set in stone.

    Fury, however, met him halfway. “Remind me again how you made your fortune Stark?” Maddie instantly stepped toward him, a feral sound ripping from her throat, and I stepped forward to grab her arm.

    “Tony’s right. Making a bigger weapon only makes things worse.” 

    Letting Maddie snatch her hand away once I was certain she wouldn’t maul the director of Shield, she stalked over to stand beside the billionaire, tilting her chin up in a challenge. If she could’ve singed Fury, she would have.

    Steve did not help matters. At all. “I’m sure if he were still making weapons, Stark wouldn’t be-”

    Tony cut in with a violent wave of his hand. “Hey, hey! Hold on! How’s this now about me?” 

    “Back off Steve.” Maddie growled, muscles ready to throw herself across the small space between them. He did not listen to her, just turning a glare onto Tony.

    “Oh, I’m sorry. Isn’t everything?” This time it was Tony who grabbed her, stopping just as she jumped from her spot beside him. Claws at the ready.

    Thor was still focused on Fury, “I thought humans were more evolved than this.” 

    Cate jumped in with a mutter that was certainly meant to be heard, “Well, you were obviously wrong, Big Guy.”

    “Excuse me, did we come to  _ your  _ planet and blow stuff up?” Fury turned from where Cap, Tony, and Maddie were about to go out in a blaze of flying fists to where Thor was now towering over him. Natasha joined in, and suddenly the room was a mass of arguing, everything escalating until one couldn’t be heard over another.

    My head gave a rather unpleasant twist and I felt my eye twitch. Something was building in my chest, a ringing starting in my ears until I had to close my eyes. Only when I opened them again did I notice the staff on the nearby table begin to flash, pulsing quicker the longer everybody continued to fight. A dark realization crept over me; I didn’t have time to be civil. 

    “Everybody, shut up!” My voice was loud, for once, and more commanding than I ever thought I could’ve been, but it seemed to shock everyone considerably because they fell silent. 

    That’s when I realized the ringing wasn’t in my head. It was actually coming from the staff. Banner looked over at it, being the closest, and he moved a monitor over to examine what the weapon was doing. Eyes going wide as he quickly hit some buttons.

    Ever so slowly, the ringing died away.

    “What the hell was that?” Tony and Cate asked simultaneously, glancing at each other before focusing again. 

    “It was sending out some sort of message. I don’t know. There were a lot of readings all at once.” Scrolling through a jarble of words that filled the entire screen, Tony jogged over to join him, looking over the stuff before whipping around again. Panic clear in his features.

    “They’re coming.”

    “What?” Steve barked, not really at Tony but because of the rather sudden situation we were now in. 

    “I said, Cap, those monkey’s we were talking about earlier? They’re coming.” Tony's eyes were cold when he turned them on Fury. “Got any ideas, mighty director? Or would you rather just take my word for it and get us the hell out of here?” 

    If Fury could’ve lit into him, he probably would have, but instead he merely stalked from the room, Natasha, Steve, and Thor following, leaving us three girls behind with the two scientists. Well, not for long, because I had no patience left. Storming out, hands clenched into fists.

    Maddie and Cate glanced at each other before racing after me. 

    “Sarah! Wait up!”

    “Come on! You never go this fast!”

    Despite their complaints, they caught up within seconds, and I spoke quickly, some of my words rushing over top of one another.

    “They didn’t even listen to me after they asked me to go in there and talk to him! I saw him, guys! And I know what I saw! Loki’s not himself! If they were gonna just write me off-"

    Cate managed to pull me to a halt by my arm, leaving me to huff in annoyance that was in no way directed at them. “Sarah, we know! We believe you.”

    “Cate’s right. They don’t know you like we do. You wouldn’t make something like this up, especially since he’s hurt people.” Maddie ran a soothing hand down my spine, which was successful in easing some of the tension from my shoulders, and I looked at them both with a mixture of relief and desperation.

    “I know, and you guys know that means the world to me. I just…” Sighing, I brought a hand up to rub at my eyes. “I wish they’d listen.”

    “Well… Things aren’t the best right now. Let’s wait until everything’s blown over, yeah?” Cate then began to pull me down the corridor, Maddie in tow, “Now let’s go fuck some shit up to get your mind off it!”

    While her words left me laughing, though weakly, a pang of guilt echoed in my veins. I cursed myself for the stupid idea I had every intention of going through with. I would tell them, but I didn’t want them getting thrown in jail because of me. I just hoped things didn’t go south, and that they wouldn’t kill me afterward. Knowing my luck, though, it would. 

    My chances of dying were about to shoot way up after all.


	7. Does This Not Prove Your Theory Wrong?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night falls upon the Helicarrier, and Sarah is up to someone.

    Even at night, the Helicarrier was busy, but I shouldn’t have doubted a ship full of spies. They always had someplace to be or something to do. Luckily, the fact that we were trying to outrun a bunch of mind controlled assassins was a reason for them to ignore little ol’ me. So, despite passing over two dozen soldiers, I made it to the room holding Loki with no problem.

    Taking out the key I had… borrowed from Thor, I attempted to avoid thinking about the fact that Coulson had been freaking out all day. After Cate had first stole it from him, I had been trying to figure out how to take it from her. Thankfully, Thor had confiscated it first, and I had… _confiscated_ it from him. It also helped that since he thought he lost the card, Thor wasn’t so eager to tell Coulson the truth behind what happened. So, all in all, it worked out.

    Waiting behind a corner, I watched a group of people hurry past before counting to three, and when there were no more footsteps, I booked it to the scanner. Sliding through in a decent five seconds. Hearing it swoosh shut behind me, everything froze, even my breathing non existent as I waited for the tell-tale sound of shouting, but none came. Slumping, I couldn't help a grin. _How_ _had I made it this far._

    “It’s you.” Loki’s voice echoed around the empty chamber, snapping me to my senses, and I glanced over my shoulder. The smirk growing wider at my success and his appearance.

    “It’s me.”

    He didn’t seem to know how to react, just walking toward the side of the cage closest to me, gaze glued as I walked over to the console and studied the buttons, setting the keycard to the side. I didn’t plan on needing it again anyway.

    “What are you doing?”

    Shooting him a look and biting my bottom lip, it came to mind that maybe I had enough time to try and talk to him. If that didn’t work, then I could go with plan two.

    “What do you think I’m doing here?” Somehow I felt like that line was supposed to sound like anything other than a lost child?

    Turning to face him, I watched his eyebrows go up. He had no reason to assume. “Honestly, I have no idea.”

    Nodding, as if this pleased me, I crossed my arms over my chest. Okay, that was a step in the right direction. I just hoped I'd chosen to go about this correctly. “Good guess, ‘cause I don’t know either.”

    Blinking once, he remained expressionless for a moment before I saw the corners of his mouth twist up. Just barely. The mood, however, did not last, his eyes darting toward the camera.

    “I assume they don’t know about this?”

    “Nope.” Nearly popping the ‘p’ but refraining from it, my face fell. “I wanted to try and talk to you again.”

    Pulling his arms behind his back, he looked me over, but… “And why is that? I’m sure they’ve told you what I’ve done. Both now and in the past, from what you’ve said before.” He didn't deny me, shut me down like he did earlier. Why? I have no idea; for all I knew I amused him somehow. I wasn't going to waste it.

    “That’s true.” Not bothering to deny it, his eyes darkened, and I shook my head before he could jump to conclusions. “But I don’t care. You’re not the one behind this.”

    He barked out a sharp laugh. “To the contrary, _I_ am very much behind this.”

    “Is that so?” Stepping away from the panel, I strode toward him until I was barely an inch from the glass, staring into his eyes without hesitation. “Because, from what I’ve seen, your eyes tell another story.”

    Gaze turning hard, he grimaced, a growl pulling its way from his throat. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

    Spreading my hands out in front of me, I shrugged, but not once did my face change. “Maybe I don’t, but I know this isn’t you.”

    “You don’t even know me.” Waving a hand through the air, effectively cutting my words away, he turned his back to me. “And why should I trust what you say? You appear to me as a friend, but I know how these games work. Once I’ve fallen to my knees and given your claim some support, all your friends will simply deny every word I say-”

    He was silenced by the sound of the airlock clicking open, freeing him from his cage with me by the only button who could release him. His head whipped around to stare, and I met him without hesitation.

    “If I didn’t believe in every word I was saying earlier, why would I let you out? Besides, you said I always had the upper hand, so now you do. I'm unarmed.”

    His mouth opened, closed, eyes darting back and forth as though soldiers were going to start pouring forth the moment he took advantage of this random chance. When everything remained silent, he took several slow steps forward, going from moving an inch to taking long strides out to come stand within two feet of me. I never looked away as he did, standing my ground and this appeared to confuse him more than anything, blue eyes flashing.

    I thought, for maybe a second, that everything was fine.

_It was not._

    “You should not have done that.” Grinning wickedly, his hand was suddenly around my throat, my back pressed against the cool glass of the cage as I held my very limited breath. “Did you think, just because you gave me my freedom, that I would lay down at your feet like some dog?” Glaring into my eyes, he pressed down harder, my hands coming up to grab his wrist, but even then I didn’t struggle, just continuing to hold his gaze.

    The smirk faltered. “I am not someone you can toy with! I am a god! You all deserve to bend to my will-”

    “You’re not… the bad guy.” Despite the fact that my voice was raspy, nearly inaudible altogether, I felt my words reach him. It was like I'd shot him, body jerking, eyes widening, and then his grip also gave, just a little. Enough air poured into my lungs to let me continue. “Whatever they’ve done… You are not… the bad guy.”

    Those blue eyes were then on fire, my heart beating much faster at the sight. “Does this not prove your theory wrong?” He squeezed, keeping away the vital air that kept my head from spinning, darkness creeping along the edges of my vision. Only when my head dropped, just the tiniest degree, did he release, and I sucked in a painful breath, throat on fire.

    Letting out a broken cough, I somehow managed to rasp out a challenge. “Then do it… kill me! Snap my neck… and prove you’re as evil… as they want you to be.” I hissed the last part, my own anger flaring as I gave him the most intense look I could. “If you can’t do that… then I won’t believe what you say.”

    “There’s fear in your eyes.” He bent forward till he was right in my face, lips pulled back to reveal startling white teeth bared in a snarl.

    “I am not afraid of you.” I growled right back, putting more emphasis behind my words as I gripped his wrist tighter. “Kill me, then. Do it.”

    His hand clenched, sealing off my airway completely. My lungs let out a shriek of protest, but then he hissed and dropped me, letting me fall to my knees as I drew in a long, stinging breath, my heart pounding away in my chest until blood roared in my ears. Coughing until I was sure I was going to spit up an organ, I glanced up and met _green eyes_ that were softer, brows furrowed as he stared at me.

    “You do not cry.”

    “Hell, no… I’m right, after all.” The laugh I gave was lighter than it probably should have been for someone who had almost died, but my chest, despite the red-hot pain searing through my nerves, felt like a weight had been lifted off it.

    “I do not understand you.”

    Giving him my best smile, my head dropped down while I messaged my throat, carefully testing to see if my legs were strong enough to hold me. Once certain, I got back on my feet, meeting his gaze that held something even I could not define. But, out of everything I had to process in such a short amount of time, one thing was certain.

    Loki had beautiful eyes.

    They were a sharp, forest green, with little specks here and there that hinted at gold and blue, leaving me wondering if that was because of the spell he was under, or if those were natural.

    He shifted under my scrutiny, something akin to guilt flickering across his gaze. Ever so slowly, my mouth dropped open to say it was okay, that I was just glad to see him as… well _him_ , but it was drowned out by the door swooshing open. Thor’s bellowing voice demanding to know what was going on.

    Instantly, blue covered green, and Loki was on the other side of the room, a flash of green signaling where he went. Thor barreled after him as I whipped around, but I was crushed in a tight embrace before I could race forward.

    “Sarah! Are you alright!”

    “We saw you over the cameras!” Maddie’s gaze was terrifyingly bright. “I’m going to kill him!”

    Grabbing her arm, I shook my head frantically. “Wait! Don’t! He stopped! He-”

    “LOKI!” A roar was followed by a loud thud, the three of us turning to see Thor laying on the floor of the cage, door shutting as an illusion of Loki flickered before him.

    “You’re still a fool, brother.”

    I didn't have time to think. Breaking through my friend’s iron grip with the strength of pure desperation, I rushed him, grabbing hold of his arm.

    “Loki! Don’t-!” He merely shoved me back, and my heel caught on the metal grating beneath my feet, arms not moving fast enough to soften my fall. Head colliding with one of the railings. I heard somebody scream, the sound bouncing off the walls of my skull before everything went black, the floor underneath me rumbling with the impact of an explosion.

 *****

    I woke with a heavy ringing in the back of my head, room spinning every time I opened my eyes, and my body refused to properly cooperate. Time passed in a strange agglomeration, a combination of seconds and hours thrown together into a confusing mix. Eventually, I came to with the sensation of being carried, but it was all drowned out again by a crashing cascade of darkness and a comforting warmth that eased away the pain.

    Sometime later, a bed beneath my back, my eyes opened without the defeating agony, the room still unfocused. But as everything became clear, I shot up, blanket tumbling around my waist and leaving me to shiver. One thing was very obvious, freezing my heart until I was sure I’d been turned into a statue.

    I was not on the Helicarrier anymore.

    The room was a wreck, the walls concrete just like the floors, cracks spider webbing along every surface. There was a desk and some bookshelves, all of which looked as if somebody had set off their own personal tornado, papers littered everywhere. Then there was the cold, a bone deep, mind numbing cold that invaded even the warmth of the soft comforter spread over me.

    Glancing around, listening, there was no sound, my eyes darting over to the door, which resembled something you’d see in a war bunker. For all I knew, that’s exactly where I was.

    Summoning my strength, I moved carefully over to the side of the bed, slipping off only when I was certain I would not fall on my face when I did. However, despite my worries, my head did not complain as I thought it would. I still remembered what happened; the fight between Thor and Loki. I just didn’t understand what had happened after. The pieces didn't fit.

    Wrapping my arms around my body as tightly as possible, my thin tank top and black jeans not nearly warm enough for this, I made my way to pull uselessly against the door. It was locked. A frustrated sigh left my lips, glaring at the floor before I hissed, my hands rubbing frantically against my skin. “Why the hell is it so fucking cold?!”

    Of course, no answer came.

    “Do they just expect me to sit here?” I muttered, finally looking around, a newfound determination blooming in my chest. I would not be locked away like some problem child. Going over to the desk, I dug for probably ten minutes before I found a sewing needle, tucked into the very back of one of the drawers, buried under papers covered in an unfamiliar language. A little more searching revealed one more, and I grinned.

    “Ha! Perfect!” Bare feet scampering back to the entrance of my prison, I knelt down and studied the lock before just deciding to roll with it, which led to thirty minutes of me screwing around until there was a soft click, the heavy door swinging open with a loud groan.

    It took me a moment to realize what happened, and I blinked a few times before my smile widened. Stashing my lockpick into my pocket, I leaned forward, peeking out into the hall; it wasn’t anything different than my ‘room’.

    Papers strewn everywhere, along with trash galore, broken glass shining here and there. Cracks running every which way on the ceiling, walls, and floor. A red stain that looked suspiciously like blood.

    My gut twisted, and not the first time since this mess had started did I wonder how I got here.

    For the longest time, I stayed put, until my nerves could take it no longer. Turning back to my few ‘belongings’, I prodded aside trash until I found my tennis shoes, laying halfway beneath the bed. Next, I considered the blanket, not quite willing to traverse the place in the freezing cold. My health would fail before I ever made it to my destination, wherever the hell that was.

    Thankfully, my eyes landed on what I’d apparently been using as a pillow while I slept, a black, fuzzy lump that had the shape of a jacket. Pulling it into my arms gently, I took it in, though it was fairly simple. Black fur inside and out, something I could tug across my chest but no button or tie to hold it. It would have to do.

    Slipping it over my arms, I was pleasantly surprised at the warmth it offered.

    And with that, after slipping on my shoes, I was gone, tiptoeing through the halls to avoid stepping on anything too loud that would give me away. You know, just in case my dawning concern just so happened to be right.

    Minutes passed with nothing, not a soul crossing my path, but after taking one of the _many_ corners, seriously this place was _huge_ , the distant sound of people talking reached my ears. Pausing, part of me wanted to go in the opposite direction, but I forced myself to continue. Maybe it was the exit? Couldn't hurt to check.

    A few more turns brought me to a translucent curtain, blue flashes lighting up the clear surface before they would fade and come again. The noise of people conversing had now mixed with drilling and the distinct clang of metal hitting metal. All in all, it was like a scene out of a horror or science-fiction film, and it did not keep my heart from speeding up. Okay… so, not the exit… Noted.

    Reaching out a shaking hand, I pushed my way through, now in a room far larger than any I’d seen so far. I was on some sort of overlook, no one else present thankfully, but down below there were dozens of people, of different genders and appearance, rushing back and forth as if their lives depended on it. At the center of it all was a large machine, but it was the item at the center that drew my attention, a blue cube that pulsed with unnatural light.

    The Tesseract? It had to be. Too far away to really see clearly, I couldn’t tell much about it, but it reminded me of Loki’s staff, what with the color and the glow. An older man fluttered around it, working far faster than his age looked to permit, and the tools scattered across his tables, even from here, could offer no semblance of organization.

    I was distracting myself from the main problem, though, my teeth digging into my bottom lip so hard I tasted blood. If I was here, and so was the Tesseract, then…

    Walking forward until I could rest my hands on the railing, my eyes fell on the crowd, darting from face to face until raven black hair filled my vision, followed by pale skin, then fiery blue eyes. Loki stood there, just below, talking to several men before he waved his hand sharply, sending a tray flying.

    The people scattered and I heard him snarl before he walked toward the agglomeration in the middle, and for a while he seemed to discuss something with the older man, whose arms gestured about him wildly, a large grin on his face. Manic and uncontrolled yet, in his presence, Loki started to… ease?

    I let down my guard. What came next was truly not a surprise. I hadn't bothered to hide, so when Loki turned around, being the only person on the balcony, he spotted me almost instantly.

    Fuck.


	8. This Was Certainly Not How My Orginal Plan Was Supposed To Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, she's been spotted

    War raged within me. To run and return to my room before he could come up here, or stay and try to figure out another way of moving forward, because this was certainly not how my original plan was supposed to go. Yet, watching him shove aside men who got in his way, I figured it might be best to wait instead of letting his anger fester, because by the looks of things I was not supposed to escape.

    So, I swallowed hard and tried to calm the beating of my heart, controlling my breathing. When the curtain fluttered violently behind me, my teeth dug into my bottom lip before I turned, holding up a hand and effectively stopping Loki from storming toward me. We stared at each other for a long moment; he was practically seething, while I just looked on calmly.

    “What are you doing out here?” Voice low, an attempt toward a semblance of control, his jaw clenched till a muscle jumped beneath his eye. 

    “I picked the lock.” His brows raised, a tiny smirk pulling my lips back, confident yet shy. A paradox.

    “You what?” Leaning back against the railing, my lips stayed shut and he growled. “I will just have to put you back, then.” He took a threatening step forward, but I merely turned my back to him, looking down at the people below, watching them scurrying around like ants, always working, never stopping. In many ways, they reminded me of the agents of Shield. 

    “Why did you bring me here?” He didn’t answer, so I kept going, figuring it was too late to go back now. “You could’ve left me behind. It would’ve been easier.” Again, he didn’t reply, and a sigh left me, ladened with confusion, but acceptance. 

    “I may not understand, Loki, but you can see I didn’t try to leave. I saw you when you saw me, and I had my chance. So, don’t go locking me up. You and I both know I wouldn’t get far if I tried.” When again he stayed silent, I thought he might have left, but then soft steps revealed that he was instead walking to come by my side, and from the corners of my eyes I studied him.

    Back straight, he didn’t look at me, glaring out over his colony of workers with eyes sealed from emotions. The blue was honestly starting to make me sick to my stomach, especially when he looked like the villian everyone made him out to be. If I hadn’t known better, if I had never been brought into this, I knew I would have been compelled to fear him when he inevitably attacked.

    Now, I only saw somebody locked within their own cage.

    It was a long while before he said anything, but when he did I was relieved to hear no more fury in his voice. “Fine. I can arrange that.” Letting out a dry chuckle, I shook my head, but my eyes fell to his staff, glowing in his grip. As if he knew, his fingers tightened on it, and my gaze darted away. 

    “This is no way to rule, you know.” Words conversational, they were also sad.

    I was surprised he answered. “Yet, they obey without question.” 

    “They may not talk back, but then who will tell you when you’re wrong?” It was more of a statement than a question, but I pushed off to turn away. “You never answered my question.”

    “You asked many.” 

    “You know what I’m talking about. Why did you bring me here?” Glancing over at him, our eyes met and locked. He remained quiet before he turned his gaze back to the scene below. This entire time, Loki had been confident, chest out and head held high, but for the first time tonight his shoulders slumped just a bit. 

    The words he spoke were strained. “I don’t know.” 

    My stare fell to the floor, and I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad, emotions and thoughts a whirlwind in my head, but I started walking away anyway.

    “I’ll be in my room, then. And Loki?” I felt his eyes on me. “Come speak to me, when you have time, okay?” I didn’t stick around for an answer, because I didn’t know if I wanted to hear what he was going to say.


	9. Days Passed With Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki seems at least marginally hospitable, hope it lasts.

    Days passed with nothing. Not only did he not take me up on my request, but I didn't even see him. No matter how many times I left my room, he was nowhere to be found. At first, I tried not to let it bother me, because I knew he didn’t trust me. We were practically strangers, other than the fact that I knew his secret. It would take time. Yet, I thought that since I had shown nothing but trust in him that maybe he would be more inclined to at least act civil to me.

    After a week, I was less certain, his avoidance making me far more nervous than I probably would’ve been had he charged me with a knife. Violence was predictable. Silence wasn’t. So, I did the only thing I could think of, and went out one morning to find him. I had no clue where his quarters were, nor anything else really, so I went to the only place I knew he would have to go.

    The main hub was just as active as ever, though I noticed some new faces amongst the crowd, and some that were missing. The main one that stuck out to me was the old man from before, the one who hovered around the Tesseract like it was his first child. He was gone, in his place a bespeckled young man with sandy brown hair who wore a long coat and a vest. Finding that in and of itself strange, I wrote it off as soon as I spotted my target, Loki’s back to me as he watched the man work, arms waving as every once in a while he’d speak.

    Huffing under my breath, relaxing and rolling my shoulders, I pulled my jacket tight around me and stalked downstairs, weaving through the people once I was on the ground floor with practiced ease. None of them paid me any mind, not a glance thrown my way, and the dull thought that Loki had kept his word floated through my mind.

    Fingers clenching and unclenching, I stared at his back before starting to reach out, ready as ever to tell him off, even if in reality I spoke as calmly as always. The flashing of the Tesseract stopped me, though. Both the scientist and Loki didn’t seem to notice, but the computer behind them showed readings that were soaring into the red area of the screen, a warning popping up. 

    The scientist turned, letting out a yelp as he registered what was happening and jumped out of the way, but Loki… just stood there. Muscles tensing as he braced himself. I was already on the move, though, diving and knocking us both to the floor just as the Tesseract let out an energy pulse that leveled one of the nearby pillars, sending it crumbling to the ground and the people around it scattering like frightened mice.

    Landing on his chest, I didn’t waste a moment before shoving myself off of him, sliding into the floor and glaring with all the spite the last week had to offer. “What the hell were you thinking?! Get out of the way, idiot!” 

    Hulling himself into a sitting position, staff clutched in his white knuckled grasp, he glowered at me with icy eyes. “What did you call me?”

    Raising my brows, I couldn’t help the incredulous smile that lit up my face, “An idiot! Who the fuck just stands there and lets themselves get hit!”

    “I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but I am a god. It would not have killed me.” Turning his head away, he huffed and shoved himself onto his feet, dusting off his leathers. “You’re the fool here. There was no reason for you to do that.”

    Jaw clenching until I felt my teeth grind together, my hands became fists, nails digging into my palms. “You know what Loki-” Hauling myself up, not bothering to rid myself of the grime that now covered me, I walked right up to him, eyes blazing. “You brought me here, neither of us fucking know why, so if my only job here is to keep you from getting yourself killed, then fine! So be it! But I will not just stand by and watch you get hurt!”

    “Why not?!” Hand slashing in front of him, keeping me at a distance, both of us forgot our surroundings, the people staring. “It is of no concern of yours what happens to me!”

    “But it is!” My voice dropped, eyes narrowing, words coming out as fierce hissing. “Loki, I don’t give two shits what you tell me, but when I talked to you in that room I saw you. Not them.” I gestured wildly to the staff throbbing in his hand. “You. If I’m the only one here who will keep you alive until you realize who you are, then I will.” Breathing hard, I dared him with my gaze to try saying another word, but he seemed sufficiently surprised, mouth slightly ajar and brows creased, so I whipped around, turning my attention to the scientist who’d been screwing with the Tesseract.

    “Be more careful, for god’s sake!” With that, I marched away, the people in the room making a path for me, and not once did I look back, just letting my feet carry me where they would. He did not come after me.

 


	10. I Found The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is being an avoidant ho, time for a taste of his own medicine.

    I found the library four days into my act of giving Loki the same treatment he’d given me. I typically wasn't one for the silent treatment… but I made an exception just this once. Only poking around when necessary, I made sure he never realized I was around, leaving long before he stopped working late into the night. Hell, I’d even taken to sleeping in another part of the bunker just to keep up my air of not caring. 

    Not because it honestly felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. No. Not at all. My rage was still boiling strong in my gut, that's all. 

    That’s why the discovery of the library was such a big deal. The one place, for as long as I can remember, where I’d always felt safe; surrounded by stories that were filled with happy endings and tales of adventure. It may not have been real life, but for me as a kid, it might as well have been. My experiences I’d learned from reading had taught me life lessons I still put to use today.

    Unfortunately, the books were mostly all in another language, so I thought I would have to settle for just being around the musty smell that had been my perfect remedy for a headache. Thankfully, though, after an hour of flipping open books at random, my eyes fell upon sweet english. That left me to plop down into one of the cleaner chairs and get started flipping through the pages. 

    It wasn’t fiction, but it was interesting thank god, a book on all sorts of different cultures, which I took as a chance to further my knowledge for after this whole affair was over with.

    However, with that line of thought came thoughts of the future I didn’t want to dwell on. No matter how hard I tried, I ended up getting stuck with images of how I saw my life going from here. The words on the page lost their meaning. I never heard him enter.

    “Sarah.” Loki’s voice had me nearly falling out of my chair as I jerked, book clattering to the floor, head whipping around to face him. 

    Clutching my chest, a long breath left my lungs. “Loki, please, the next time you do that, knock first.” Despite my forced joking tone, he just stared at me, seeming lost. My brows went up, all my frustration forgotten in an instant. “Loki? What’s wrong?”

    “I couldn’t… I have not…” My brows continued to climb until he huffed the rest of his sentence out, looking off to the side. “I have not seen you, recently.” 

    I opened my mouth to reply, then shut it. That was not… what I was expecting. “O-oh, well…” I didn’t want to just come out and say I’d been avoiding him. “I’ve… been busy?” From the look he gave me, he didn’t believe me at all, so I just stood stiffly and walked to the table nearby, leaving the book on its surface, just in case.

    “What were you reading?” The completely normal question caught me off guard, body freezing before I hesitantly answered.

    “It’s just something on a bunch of other countries and their cultures and stuff…”

    “Do you enjoy learning of such things?” _Okay_ _this was seriously getting weird._ Yet, when I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, he was still just standing there awkwardly. Hands picking at one another in front of him.

    “I mean… yeah? I’m actually…” Trailing off, my throat closed and I felt my shoulders grow tight. This… would be the first thing he would actually know about me.

    “You’re what?” His curiosity was peaked now, his feet shuffling against the floor as he came closer. 

    Fighting the words out, I offered a small smile. “I’m actually in training to be something like a diplomat.” His eyes widened, a tiny sliver of pleasure running through me at the look on his face. Like he could believe it, but couldn't. Out of everyone who’d given me that look, his made me feel the best because I’d just shocked the  _ God of Mischief _ himself. It was quite an accomplishment, in my book.

    “That’s indeed impressive.” He mused, bringing his hands behind his back and holding them there. His compliment was like a slap to the face, my cheeks heating up just the tiniest bit as I rubbed the back of my neck. 

    “It’s… really not…” I could practically hear Cate and Maddie’s screams of rage in my mind, but he only shook his head.

    “No, it is. How long have you wanted to do this?” 

    My gut twisted, both in a good and bad way. “Um… Since I was about 15?” 

    Humming to himself, his eyebrow raised. “That’s a long time for you mortals, is it not?” Thinking about it, I guess it was, being more than five years, so I nodded. “What made you want to do this?” 

    Another question, another half-truth.

    “W-well… my dad told me about it and I was always curious about other people and the ways they lived. I also love history, so that helps…” I really was not good at talking about myself. I really wasn’t. It also didn’t help that I didn’t much care for where this topic was heading.

    “It will be interesting, then, to see where that passion takes you, yes?” Feeling like I was being choked, a laugh tore itself from me, wobbly along the edges to the point where he visibly caught on, eyes narrowing. I quickly waved him off.

    “Of course! But what about you?” The realization of how stupid this question was a smack to the face, and I immediately backtracked. “W-wait, I don’t… I didn’t… damn it.” Sighing, I gave him a soft look. “Sorry.”

    He didn’t seem to understand at first, but the darkening of his eyes told another story. “Sorry for what? It was merely a question.”

    “You know what I mean.” Unable to meet his eyes now, I looked toward the far wall, wrapping my jacket tightly around me like it could somehow protect me from my mistake.

    “You mean that since I am a banished prince who’s trying to enslave humanity?” As soon as he said it, my eyes were back on him, burning, but he raised a hand and stopped me from speaking. “Oh, I know what you’re going to say. Spare me your words of support.” 

    Jaw clenching, I thought about disobeying him, but he jumped ahead before I could. “The look on your face while you were speaking of your future job… You did not seem as thrilled as you were acting.” 

    The flinch I gave said everything, his stare intensifying as his brows drew together. I attempted… something hopefully like a grin, but it was far too weak to be anything of the sort. “I mean… I like the idea. I wouldn’t have tried so hard to get to where I am if I hadn’t.” 

    His gaze told me to continue, and that if I didn’t he’d ask anyway, so I just turned away and sighed, this time heavier. “Look, I just don’t like talking about the future. It’s… stressful? Unnerving?” Shaking my head, I closed my eyes, shoving away my mixed emotions toward the topic. Even after all these years I didn’t know how I felt. “Whatever.”

    So graceful. Right? This is why I never said anything; how did I expect anyone to get it when I couldn't form the correct words? Couldn't fathom my own feelings?

    “I understand.” His gentle tone shocked me more than anything he could've said, gaze opening to stare at the table beneath my hands. Almost… afraid to turn and see  _ green _ . If it  _ was _ there. Because I didn't want to lose it again.

    “The future can be an unkind companion. It is never fun to think of the possibilities.” My mouth could’ve been full of cotton balls for all I knew, but at the time I simply could not speak. He pressed on, though hesitantly, afraid of something too, though I didn’t know what. 

    “When I was younger, I faced the same thoughts. Is there anything else you would like to do?” Shaking my head, the familiar feelings I did my best to bury revived themselves, bringing with them the thoughts that had my bottom lip trembling just a bit. “Then what is your motivation for becoming a diplomat?”

    I couldn’t. Whipping around, I rushed toward the door, a fake smile plastered on my face. “Sorry Loki, but I have to go-” He was having none of it, appearing in front of me with a flash of green. Glaring at his chest barely three inches from my face, willing it to vanish, it took me a long moment to tilt my head back to look at him. Instead of the anger I was expecting, there was worry, which added to the combination of  _ blue _ eyes made me take a step back in uncertainty.  

    “What bothers you so? And don’t try to hide it; it's clear to see.” 

    Stumbling over my words, my mind raced to come up with any excuse, but all that came out was gibberish. “I mean… It’s just… I don’t… It’s nothing bad- I can’t…” 

    His glare sharpened and I froze, looking away, sighing from the very depths of my soul. “Have you… ever had someone put so much pressure on you to make a decision, that you eventually just pick something? Even if you’re not sure?” 

    For a moment I felt his stare, burning the hairs on the back of my neck, finally risking a peek. And… he nodded in all seriousness. “Of course. When you grow up as royalty, that’s nigh inevitable.”

    I didn't risk smiling, but relief flowed through my veins like thick syrup. He understood. At least a little. That made me feel… like I wasn't insane. “That’s all it is, really. When I started getting older everybody started pushing me to say what my future was going to be, so when I heard something even remotely interesting I just went with that.” 

    Eyes finding the floor, he could barely make out what I said next. “It’s not like I’m unhappy, I love my job. I just… I don’t like to think about stuff that’s never guaranteed.” 

    My confession rung in the tension between us, louder than any words as my eyes finally made their way back to the book that had started everything. My thoughts would have brought me down this path sooner rather than later, but it was really the first time I’ve told anyone out loud. 

    Maybe it was because I didn’t know him very well, the fact that we were in many ways strangers, that played a part in why I was better at telling him. Maybe it was the thought that I knew he had to have been through the same thing with his background, instead of having to put myself out there with no cushion. Who knows, really?

    The sound of feet moving brought me back to my senses, Loki’s presence a nearly physical touch upon my body. I stiffened, not knowing what to expect.

    “It is okay to… be uncertain. Even after all this time.” His murmured words were like ice nursing a wound, the mere sound of them, despite hesitant, were relaxing. Forcing myself to face him, I met his eyes, thinking again that maybe something had changed. Praying it had. 

    It hadn’t. 

    That didn’t stop his gaze from being much softer than before, though, and the air suddenly felt like it had been knocked from my lungs.

    Yet, I laughed anyways, and this one was far more real than the last, if not a little breathless. My chest instantly felt lighter. “Thank you… I… guess you know when to say the right things, every now and then.” His face instantly curled into one of displeasure, but I just gave him a gentle smile and moved past him. “I’m going to head back to my room. It’s late. That's enough soul searching for one night."

    “Sarah.” Not expecting him to stop me, I glanced over my shoulder to see him watching me sheepishly. “I would… like to take you up on your offer.” When my brows only raised in question he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “To speak with you… more.” Blinking once, twice, the smile on my face became one that beamed. 

    “Okay, I’d… I’d like that.” I really would, but… “Loki, if we’re going to do this… I can’t be the only one sharing.” It was like I hit a nerve; he suddenly looked like a cat ready to sprint away, lean muscles flexing, but I held up a careful hand. “I’m not saying right off the bat, but this stuff goes two ways. You can’t know everything about me if I know nothing about you.”

    He studied the wall for so long it got to the point where I believed he’d never answer, but then he nodded, just the smallest dip of his head. “Alright, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

    His body seemed to loosen at my agreement, shoulders lowering, and I gave him one last wave before going back to my room, feeling more at ease than I probably should have been while in ‘enemy’ territory. This was a step forward, though, and I’d take what I could get. 

    And if I couldn't stop smiling, well… whose business was that but mine?


	11. He'd Been in a Fairly Good Mood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is softening toward his little parasite.

    My relationship with Loki passed no further than a few kind conversations, most of which took place in the library since we both seemed at ease there, and despite a few times where he’d been frustrated, he'd been in a fairly good mood. There were even some moments where he’d use his magic to try and spook me, setting up illusions of spiders and bugs. None of them worked, until he tried a wasp, sending me launching back from the table like an explosive was under my feet, barrling him over in my rush.

    Needless to say, he didn’t try that one again.

    It was nice, though. While neither of us dived too deep into the other, we talked a lot about the things that interested us, his magic being a main part of that conversation since it _fascinated_ me and was one of the things he was most proud of. From illusions to teleporting, he showed me a lot of what he could do, and more than once I complimented him on his expertise with glowing eyes. How could I not? Growing up in a world where people were considered superheroes, as a child I had dreamed of being one, and actually getting to meet somebody of such power was exciting.

    My enthusiasm was greeted with more than a single smirk on his part, but despite how friendly our talks became, his eyes never returned to the green I remembered from the Helicarrier. Yet, with his mood becoming more stable, I began to believe that maybe he was growing more comfortable around me, and that maybe soon I’d have another chance to make him see reason. Maybe, even just a little, I was helping.

    It happened on a day I was waiting for him in the library. He came storming in, hands fists at his sides, and I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong. The glare he gave me said enough and I paused, waiting for him.

    He paced for a few minutes; I leaned back against the table, arms crossed, watching him. Continuing to glance over at me, my patient, concerned smile stayed firmly planted on my lips, but every time he did he’d huff, conflict obvious.

    “Would you-” My brows jumped up when he finally spoke, coming together as his hand came up to push back his hair, tossing it more than it already was, eyes glued to the floor. “Would you like to take a walk? With me?” The sheer hesitation was enough to bring me to my knees, but it was the uncertainty in his voice that made my heart clench and I nodded instantly. He _never_ sounded like that, but he shook his head at my immediate agreement. “I am afraid I’m not in the best mood.”

    “Like that would change my mind.” I sighed, pushing off the wooden surface and going to stand in front of him. “Where do you want to go, then?”

    His gaze met mine, holding it, brows tight as though he was in some sort of pain, for all I knew he probably was and wasn't telling me, and again everything in me screamed to take his hand. “Out. I wish to clear my mind.” Vaguely, he pointed to the door, but hell if that was going to stop me.

    I jerked my head in that direction; I figured it best to let him set the pace and the destination. “Lead the way. I’m right behind you.”

    Giving me a once over, he didn’t, standing there awkwardly until I gestured again, and finally he huffed and started forward. His strides were long, speedy, like he was trying to outrun something. For me that made it difficult to keep up, because as my friends would tell you, I was slow. Extremely so. The reason being that I just didn’t like to rush into things, at least most of the time, and wanted ample time to react. Yet, I still jogged after him, cursing my shorter legs.

    Only when we took a few familiar turns did I stop. I’d explored the entire bunker so many times I knew it like the back of my hand, having had plenty of extra time to myself without my phone or computer. These past two weeks had been spent talking to Loki and walking the building at night, when sleep kept its distance, so I knew exactly where we were heading. He was taking me to the exit.

    I didn’t know what to think, but of course I worried that I’d done something wrong. Thinking back, memories of our conversations flickered through my mind, teeth digging into my lip as I tried to think if I’d said anything to anger him. Nothing pointed to it, and he wasn't shy in hiding it when I stepped on his toes. That only made me more nervous. I hadn’t stepped foot outside this place in so long, not because I knew I couldn’t but because I wanted Loki to know I didn't intend on leaving.

    He'd given me a free pass to leave, but I didn't _want_ to.

    “Aren’t you coming?” Jumping, I blinked, meeting his glaring eyes from the end of the hall, feet scurrying to catch up despite the lump in my throat.

    Taking my place beside him, my gaze stayed on the floor for a time until it glanced up at his face. His health instantly worried me.

    His skin, if possible, had become even paler, the dark circles under his eyes darker. His forehead was constantly covered in a sheen of sweat, gaze darting back and forth as though he would be attacked at any second. I thought of suggesting a stop in one of the side rooms, just for a break; maybe a walk wasn't for the best.

    But… when I tried to bring it up to him in the past he would shut down and return to work or his room, so eventually I took to not talking about it, just watching from the side despite the pain it brought my heart. Trying to find a better way to convince him… just for a second to take care of himself.

    “We’re here.” Voice a little dull, enough to be obvious, he opened the door to the outside, my feet freezing once more. I hadn’t noticed we’d come that far. I could just see the gleaming of stars over his head, the moon a bright figure in the sky, and my soul shouted in joy at seeing it all again, but… I couldn’t help a look over my shoulder.

    He caught it, of course. “Is something the matter?”

    Taking a slow breath, my fingers tangled around one another. “Not exactly…” Even at the rise of his brow I didn’t continue, just taking a slow step forward to pass him, dreading the sound of the slamming door as the chilly night air washed over me.

    Instinctively, my hands pulled my jacket tighter around me. Yet, the cold was long forgotten when I looked up, a gasp tearing free of my throat.

    A sight I’d only seen a few times stretched out above me, thousands of stars shimmering while the moon was a looming figure, seemingly so close, yet so far. It was beautiful, and oh so clear, nothing besides the bunker for as far as the eye could see to give off light, barely keeping the gems above at bay.

    “Loki… This is amazing.” Words breathy, I strode ever further into the plain outside, never once taking my gaze away from the sky.

    He chuckled, the sound low and… smooth for a change. Pleased. “I was hoping you’d enjoy it, but now you look like a child.”

    Pouting, I turned to glare at him, but froze at the tiny, soft smile on his lips. My mind suddenly went blank on what I was about to say, cheeks heating, and my head jerked back around before he could see it.

    “Shut up…” Muttering under my breath just loud enough for him to hear, I huffed and moved further away, coming to a relatively clear spot of weeds. Loki followed behind quietly, and a glance told me that he had relaxed somewhat, body less tight than it had been inside. With his hands behind his back, he almost seemed like the embodiment of peace, even his face open to the sights and the breeze that lightly rustled his hair.

    Grinning ever so slightly, I let out a sigh, letting my gaze fall away. We stood like that, side by side, for a long time, neither of us breaking the comfortable hush between us. He had a habit of surprising me, though.

    “I don’t want to be king.” My eyes widened, blood freezing before I slowly turned to face him, but he had already looked away, face hidden in the dark.

    Even if I had wanted to speak, my mouth was dry. No sound would come out. So, in light of my silence, he pressed on. “You were right, I don’t want to be king. I just-” He huffed, but the sound was more sad than anything. “I wanted to prove myself, and when I couldn’t on Asgard, this was the next best place.”

    Heart still in the process of restarting, I opened my mouth, shut it, then opened it again. Still, no words would come, and he chuckled wryly, turning on his heel to return to the bunker. That alone seemed to jump start the flow of words, my thoughts pouring forth in fear that I might lose what little faith he had in me. “Loki, I don’t think that’s a bad thing!”

    He ceased all movement, my feet bringing me closer as I continued. “You’re just going about it the wrong way. I know you’d make a wonderful king. I believe that with all my heart.”

    “And why is that? I have proved myself to be against everything you’ve said from the beginning.” He was talking about the people he’d killed, the people inside whose wills he'd stolen, the way he’d tried to kill me then kidnapped me instead.

    I could only shake my head, going to step around him. Hoping… My eyes met _blue_ and my stomach dropped just slightly, wanting to see green instead. “Yet, you’ve taken the time to talk to me and keep me company. You haven’t hurt me again, once you saw I wasn't lying to you. To me, that proves all I need to know.”

    That crease appeared between his brows, pain flashing across his gaze. “How can you always be so sure?”

    A soft smile crossed my lips and I shrugged lightly. “Honestly, I _didn’t_ see it at first. But after the attack in Germany… when you were on the stairs… I just felt like something was off and decided to dig a little deeper.” Never looking away from his eyes, I put all my faith behind my words. “Everything I saw when I talked to you… It just confirmed everything I had figured out on my own. I wanted to help you because I _believed_ in you.”  

    At first, he didn’t move or blink. Then he swallowed, lips thinning out as he looked at the ground. His voice was just a little raspy. “I say it again, I don’t understand you.” This pulled a laugh from me, one completely filled with joy, and his head jerked up, the smile I gave him bright.

    “That’s okay. I get that a lot.” Reaching over without thought, I put a gentle hand on his arm. “So long as you know I mean it, it doesn’t matter if you understand.” His gaze went from where I was touching him to my eyes and back again, before a weak grin etched its way across his lips.

    “I believe you have the upper hand again.” His words were so quiet I barely heard him, but a little blush dusted my cheeks and my hand retreated, him watching it go. Not knowing what to do next, I quickly settled for turning my attention back to the sky. It was a long moment before I heard him do the same, and with his eyes off of me, my heart felt much more willing to comply, my voice coming out strong but soft.

    “You know I believe in you right?”

    He chuckled, “If I said no, you would probably try to talk me out of it, so my answer must be yes.”

    Having a bad habit of taking things too literally, I stiffened, thinking he was being serious. Glancing over at him, the toothy grin said enough and my arms wrapped around my body, eyes on the starlight dancing above. The controlled happiness in my words was hard to mask, and I was sure I failed. “I guess that’ll have to do, then.”

    “Indeed.”


	12. I Was Just Starting to Feel Tired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah's up late working on some writing before a disturbance crashes through the bunker.

    Sitting awake in my room, jotting down some randomly thought up story at four in the morning, I was just starting to feel tired when a loud crash came from outside. Jumping from the bed, gaze darting from the door to the mess on the floor, nothing resembling a weapon really stood out.

    I tried to pace myself. Maybe something had happened with the Tesseract? Loki had been more reckless lately, his exhaustion obvious when he’d stumble and play it off, or when his eyes would close and his head would drop when no one was looking. 

    That scared me more than the chance of being attacked, and with that fear in mind, I peeked out into the hallway, finding Loki’s room with my eyes. It was at the end of the hall, the door barely cracked open, which was weird in and of itself. He never kept it open, too paranoid. 

    Silence settled over the building. Chewing on my lip, feet moving on their own, I found myself pushing my way inside without much thought. “Loki?” 

    “Go away.” His voice was rough inside the darkness, demanding compliance, but I only let in more light. He was hunched over in bed, blankets wrapped around his waist and his head in his hands, naked chest rising and falling rapidly. He didn’t look up to meet my gaze. In the corner, the staff pulsed strongly. “I said to leave.”

    Shaking my head despite knowing he wouldn’t see, my body moved further inside until I was standing in front of his bed. Ever so slowly, my knees met the carpet, kneeling before him, wanting to see his face. When I spoke, it was quiet, careful. “A nightmare?” 

    He said nothing, but his face gave it away, the sweat and fear dancing behind sealed eyes. Lumping forming in my throat, my next sentence wavered under the strain of my heart. “This is why you’ve been so sick.” Again no response, jaw clenching as I searched his gaze for anything that would help me figure out what to do. Fighting the urge to cup his cheek, stroke away the tension, knowing the touch would probably be too much or unwelcome.

    But another idea came to mind, though my heart didn’t know what to think about it, racing faster and pumping blood into my cheeks. If it would make him feel even a little bit better… then I had to give it a shot.

    “Loki… can I try something? To help?” When he only stared, I sighed but went ahead, sitting on the edge of his bed. His eyes followed; my blush might've worsened. Just a bit. 

    Forcing it away, I gestured to his pillows, “Lay down.” That familiar crease formed between his brows, mouth opening to argue more than likely, but I gave him a look that said not to. “Please? Trust me.”

    “What… are you going to do?” Hesitant, he finally did as I asked, though it was obvious it took him a lot of willpower to do it. Nearly flinching as I moved to go shut the door. 

    Cursing the world and whoever the demon was who'd hurt him, I slowed my motions, not wanting to startle him any more than I already had. Eventually, I had successfully trapped us in the gloom, his single tiny window letting in enough moonlight to make it easy to navigate. 

    Sitting down on the opposite side of where he was laying, I smiled down at him softly. “If you’re okay with it… I’ll stay and keep you company. Just until you’re comfortable again, if that’s what you want.” Waiting patiently for an answer, hoping I hadn't forced my idea on him, every cell in my body chanted at him to say yes. I'd had my fair share of nightmares, and while they were certainly not as bad as his, that only meant I wanted to be with him all the more.

    He didn’t seem to know how to respond, though. Tilting his head to the side like a lost puppy. “How would that help?”

    Leaning back against the wall, there was the urge again. Curbing it instantly and instead giving him a gentle smile. “When I was little and I’d get scared my parents would let me sleep with them, and I figured out that having someone you trust stay with you… made it easier to forget the nightmares.” 

    “And who said I trust you?” That made me pause, brows creasing before I sighed and flicked his forehead, rolling my eyes.  

    “Shut it, you. If that was true you would have kicked me out already.”

    He huffed, a pearly hand going to rub at the sore spot. Thankfully, a little bit of the glow I'd gotten to know over the past few days seemed to have leaked back into his face. “I tried.” 

    “Just go to sleep.” My tone was harsh but also soft, and after a moment of glaring he complied, eyes sliding shut. I kept watch for a moment to make sure he didn’t disobey before tilting my head back and studying the ceiling. Memories of doing the same for my siblings flickered through my mind, a dull longing running through my veins as I wondered how they were doing. 

    “You seem uncomfortable.” Jerking, I glanced down at him, frowning.

    “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

    Shrugging, his gaze darted away, toward the window, though he could see nothing from it. “So are you. Lay down.” Freezing, my eyes widened, heart skipping a much needed beat. 

    “What?”

    “I said, lay down.” He gave me a look as if I were stupid, earning him another flick before I shook my head. Trying to play off the heat staining my cheek bones red.

    “I’m fine.” In reality, sure, I was tired, but this was nothing. Once I made sure he was okay, it’d be a lot easier for me to relax. I’d be too worried to sleep if I went back to my room. 

    However, he only huffed, hand darting out to grab onto my arm and pull me down, his strength far too much to fight. I ended up somehow with my head on the pillow, leaving him to toss the blankets over me, and despite the fact that every part of my mind was screaming at me, my eyes narrowed playfully.

    “Bully.” 

    “I think you mean thank you.” He smirked before letting his eyes close again, leaving me to stare at his face which was a  _ little _ too close for comfort. Though… Trailing my gaze over his features, my cheeks heated up even further. Stupid god and his stupid face.

    “Like what you see?” If there was one sentence that could literally make me look like a tomato, that was it, not to mention his teasing, half-lidded eyes as he peeked out at me.  

    Still, I somehow managed to escape his gaze, looking away as I rolled onto my back.  _ Ah, much better. _ “Well… I can’t decide whether pushing a prince off his bed is a good idea or not.” 

    He chuckled, but the sound lacked any mirth. Any embarrassment was lost when, turning to glance at him, his features only darkened. Brows creasing, I opened my mouth, but he spoke before I could ask what was wrong. “Then are you afraid of me?”

    My eyes shot wider than they had already been; I didn’t hesitate, voice going soft. “No, of course not.” 

    A long sigh left his lips and he didn’t look at me. Stomach clenching, the urge to hug him came back stronger than ever, but I held back. “Loki, you know I’m not afraid of you.”

    Yet, he still remained silent, and I would’ve done something drastic, I’m sure, if I hadn’t noticed the blue tint that slowly started to take over his skin. I stiffened, throat sealed shut at the lines that appeared on his face, a twisting pattern that left none of his skin clear. Even his eyes turned to a bloody blue hue. 

    He wouldn't meet my stare. Avoided it at all costs. Hatred dripped from every syllable; I knew it wasn't directed at me. “What about now? Do you fear me?” 

    I knew I was staring at his  Jötunn form; Thor had described it to me all those days ago on the Helicarrier. He had also described to me the tales Agardian children were told, of how Frost Giants were to be feared for their savage ways. The entire time he spoke, especially when he revealed to me Loki’s true heritage, he’d looked so sad, so defeated. Not because he couldn’t believe what his brother was, but because he knew how Loki had taken it. What it made him think of himself.

    I never thought Loki would show me.  _ Me _ , the weak mortal he took along when he fled. Well, there was no way I was going to make him think anything but the truth. I made it my mission to prove to him that what I saw was just as beautiful as his other form.

    A tiny, ever so tiny, smile appeared on my lips as my eyes traced the lines, leading back to his gaze which was so vulnerable it could’ve belonged to a child. My words were rasped out, the burning of tears imminent as my soul reached out to him, my hand doing the same. “No.” 

    His eyes lit up in panic. “W-wait-! Don’t-!” He was far too late, my fingers just grazing his cheek, and despite the icy pain that shot through my nerves, I didn’t stop. Letting them trail along one of the lines, he froze under the gentle caress, staring with wide eyes until the sound of frost made him snap back to his senses. His hand snatched mine away as blue turned back into pale cream, red fleeing and leaving only blue behind.

    His words were hissed out between clenched teeth as he studied how my fingers were nearly grey, the tips frozen. “What the hell were you thinking?!” Magic swirling in the air, green mixed with gold, and ever so slowly the feeling in my hand returned, but I was too busy watching his face to notice. I was fairly sure he was grinding his teeth, a muscle in his jaw jumping, brows creased as he saw the damage he’d done fade.

    I acted purely on instinct, my hand flipping around to hold his. His eyes flicked to mine and stayed there as I shook my head once, “You’re not a monster.” He knew I had never lied to him, and my conviction this time demanded no argument. So instead, as the light of his magic faded, we stayed like that, him searching my gaze for any lie I knew he wouldn’t find, and me watching it sink in that I was telling the truth. 

    Then, before I ever realized what was happening, he pulled me toward him and our lips connected. It was fleeting, just a quick brushing, but warmth flooded my veins as I stiffened, eyes opening as wide as they would go. When he pulled back, I found myself staring at his lips, cheeks rosy. His name danced on my tongue, “Lo-,” and I looked up to ask him why, but for the thousandth time tonight my mind came screeching to a halt.

    His eyes were an intense green. They were  _ green _ . 

    The heat behind my eyes grew worse, and maybe a single tear slipped free, mouth clamping shut as sheer disbelief clouded what was left of my thoughts. He took this time to release me, flipping onto his other side and leaving me to stare at the back of his head. 

    As soon as his eyes left my line of sight it was like a part of me had been ripped out, my heart letting out a scream, but I didn’t act. Couldn’t. Everything about me was a swirling mess, and to be honest I barely knew what was up and down anymore.  _ He… he just…  _

    My hand drifted up, a knuckle skimming the surface of my lips, and I bit down just a little. If his eyes returned to normal, that meant the mind control was gone. Then… he must’ve used the kiss to shock himself out of it. That was the only thing I could think of to explain why, and while it hurt, I was just so elated. So thrilled to the point where my heart was probably ready to just pack its bags and burst out of my chest. It didn’t matter if I was just a tool at this point. He was back… right? 

    “Loki… turn around. Please?” My words were a hushed plea, so soft I barely heard them but his body tensed. Still, he did as I asked, and instantly I was trapped back in his emerald stare. My chest swelled, worry bursting forth, too afraid to believe it was an illusion. “You… You’re back?”

    He didn't answer, but his gaze spoke of something foreign as well as uncertainty, “If it is not me you’re afraid of, then what is it? I know there’s something.” 

    Without my consent, my eyes darted to the side, where his staff rested not far off, and he turned to follow my look.

    “That?” Sounding unconvinced, he reached to grab it and I launched myself on top of him, yanking his arm back.

    I was almost so desperate I shouted. “Don’t touch it!” 

    When his head snapped back, my grip on him tightened, willing him with my gaze to do as I said. “Please, don’t.” 

    Looking over me, he eventually sighed and nodded, carefully tugging his arm back. “Alright. I understand. I won’t.” My body practically collapsed in on itself at that statement, hands coming to clasp in front of my chest. Thanking the stars, my head flopped back onto the pillows, eyes closing. That didn’t last long, though.    

    “I will go with you.” This man. He knew just what to say to make everything seem so surreal.

    Of course, with my limited functioning, I didn’t understand at first, just sitting up to stare at him dumbly. Resting on my elbows and trying to put two and two together. “What?”

    He rolled his eyes and this time I was the one getting flicked in the forehead, body flinching as I rubbed at it. A chuckle left him at my affronted look. “I will go with you back to New York. To speak with my brother and his… friends.”

    Instantly, any thought was flooded by utter disbelief. “You’re… serious? You’re done?” 

    Eyelids lowering, he shook his head softly, his smirk falling into a gentle smile I'd  _ never _ seen on his face before. “I think it’s time I explore other options.” 

    If there was ever a time before where I had ever smiled as bright as I did then, I didn’t know of it. The only thing I could think of was that he’d finally get to clear his name, and he could make up with Thor, and we- or rather they- could defeat the Chitauri together. It was going to be okay.

    A wet laugh escaped me, hands covering my face as I shook my head. I really didn’t know what to do. I never thought- After all this time- God, things were happening all at once, and if this turned out to be some twisted dream I might just implode. 

    “Sarah.” A chilly hand wrapped around the top of my arm, and with a gentle tug he guided me back into the pillows, my face landing right in front of his.  Catching me off guard, which this man seemed extra fond of doing, his lips tweaked up into a smug smirk at the red that was once again gracing my cheeks with its presence. Everything, every rushing thought, was brushed aside.

    I managed to squeak out some form of response, tripping over my own words. He was too close, and even if he just used me to shake off their control, I couldn’t handle the frantic beating of my heart. “W-what? What is it?”

    “You said you would be staying here for the night.” Oh shit, I did.  _ Fuck _ . How did things progress this far?!

    “R-right… I mean…”

    “Are you still going to?” And there it was again, that creeping vulnerability at the edges of his eyes. How the hell was I supposed to say no to that?

    “I… Of c-course.” His body relaxed back into the blankets, the grin that spread across his cheeks making me swallow. Maybe the fluttering in my stomach would be worth it, I thought, if I could see him continue to smile like that.      

    “Then, let’s rest, and we’ll leave in the morning.” Barely finding the strength to nod, I watched as he rolled onto his other side, the wrenching feeling once again tearing through my chest, but I forced my eyes closed after a long minute. I had a feeling sleep would be avoiding me for the rest of the night, the ghosting feeling of his lips against mine a constant companion.

    I didn’t know what to think anymore.

*****

    The next morning came far too quickly. I awoke to my face embarrassingly close to Loki’s bare back, the sight nearly giving me a heart attack. Instead, I merely shot backward, coming a hair’s breadth from sending myself into the floor. The blankets, however, were not so lucky, going flying. Loki jerked and was on his feet in a heartbeat, knives at the ready.

    We found each others eyes and froze.

    His brows creased, a timid smile gracing my features as I held back the first round of giggles. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” 

    His serious face was too precious, even as he tucked away weapons that could easily end me, but my lack of an explanation that wouldn’t end in me resembling a certain vegetable had me covering my mouth as a laugh escaped. “Sorry… You um… You startled me.” 

    “I-” His eyes widened before a shit-eating grin crawled across his cheeks, all toothy and wild and  _ free. _ “Is that so?”

    “Shut up.” The pillow near my hand was launched at his face, but he batted it aside easily, leaving me to pout like a child. But the chuckle I earned made something in my chest glow, the sound full and warm.

    “Is that anyway to act in front of a prince?” He shook his head in false irritation, and I smirked, a mischievous gleam in my eyes.

    “It is if that prince is a smug asshole.” 

    He covered his heart with an ‘offended’ hand. “That hurts. Really it does.” I could only shake my head, both of our grins widening until I had to look away in fear of my heart just giving out.

    Staring sheepishly at my twisting fingers cradled in my lap, I glanced toward the door. “I should… go get ready to leave?” I didn’t want to form it as a question, but the fact that he’d agreed, after a month, to finally return to New York was still like a dream floating through the back of my head. Almost just out of reach.

    His soft voice only pushed me to believe it. “Yes. I will join you in a while.” Nodding and swinging my legs off the side of the bed, I stood and wrapped my arms around myself, the chill of the bunker never changing, even at the end. Just making it to the door, the feeling of fur made me halt, and I looked down to see my fuzzy jacket around my shoulders. 

    Turning around to stare at Loki, I nearly missed the delicate look in his eyes. “Thought you could use that. So you don't freeze. "

    Lips falling into something much softer than even my timid grin, I bowed my head once again before slipping out. When the door closed behind me, the fight to keep my knees from giving out was hard, returning to my room before I threw myself onto my bed violently.

    Face down in the warm comforter, I attempted to ignore the burning in my cheeks and the thrashing of the butterflies in my gut. When the fuck did things get like this? 

     Needless to say, it took me several minutes to drag myself back to the present and get dressed, my mind continuously slipping back and forth between my memories and what I was doing. Images of green haunted me, as well as those that consisted of his face, much too close, and those of his stupid laugh… 

    I wouldn’t have heard them coming even if I’d been listening, too distracted to take notice of the footsteps rushing toward my room.

    The door slammed open, my scream tearing out of my throat before I could stop it, and I twisted around to see who it was only to be shoved face first onto the bed, arms pinned behind my back. Thrashing beneath whoever it was, I shouted at the top of my lungs. “Let me go!” 

    Fear clutched at my heart; I didn’t understand. My mouth opened, ready to cry out his name, ready to ask for help because something just wasn’t adding up and for the first time since I’d been brought to this place I was  _ scared _ .

    “I’m afraid they can’t do that.” Everything stopped. Ever so slowly the fight left me, like a river drained of water, head rising up to see Loki standing in the doorway, staff in hand, eyes glowing  _ blue _ . 

    My voice cracked as I started to tremble. “No… Loki…” In that one moment, I thanked the numbing pain spreading through my arms. I didn't want to feel my heart break as he turned and walked away, his minions picking me up and dragging me after him. 


	13. It Left Far too Much Time for Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Attack on New York Arrives.

    Never once did I lift my eyes up from the floor of the truck, the silver metal dulled just as much as my gaze. It was uncomfortably hot, squished between two men I didn’t know, stomach rolling with more than just a combination of sickness, fear, and dread. Loki sat in front of me, I knew, his shoes just there in the corner of my vision, but he didn’t speak to me, nor I to him. That’s how several long hours passed, in complete silence, only the shuffling of feet for companionship.

    It left far too much time for thought. I was sure we were on our way to New York, where Loki would finally put his plan into motion and call the Chitauri down to attack humanity. A bitter taste rose in the back of my throat and I barely swallowed it back, forcing away the heat that had slowly built behind my eyes for the millionth time since everything had gone so _wrong_. I tried to tell myself that there was still hope I could fix my failure, the group of heroes on the Helicarrier coming to mind. They'd know what to do… They could stop the invasion.

    That didn’t make the aching hole in my heart any easier to bare.

    It wasn’t just that, though. The worry in my chest was gradually giving way to panic the closer we got to our destination. My friends… while I knew they’d never leave until they knew I was safe, part of me wished that they had returned to Kentucky. That they wouldn’t have to face the mess that was coming. That they wouldn't face the possibility of getting hurt due to my mistakes.

    I didn’t understand. Why did Loki pick the staff back up? Did he forget what I said, or did he just not care? Why? After everything that happened… The memory of his lips on mine was still fresh, as was the joking we did afterwards. Just salt on the wound.

    But his promise stuck out to me, though maybe it _wasn’t_ a promise and just what I wanted to believe. He said he wasn’t going to do this… He said he was through with this plan. So, did he lie? Did I… fall for one of the Trickster’s lies?

    I shook my head violently, the first time I’d really moved in four hours. No, he wouldn’t have done that. He wouldn’t have. He was a good person; something had to have happened. I believed in him. I did. _I did._

    Finally summoning the courage to look up at him, determination blooming anew deep in my soul, my eyes instantly connected with blue - even thinking of the color made my gut twist painfully - and it came to mind that he might’ve been staring at me this whole time. Just yesterday that would have brought red to my cheeks. Today, though, I couldn’t even fathom a wry grin, much less anything else.

    His gaze was hard, penetrating, all gentleness buried. His lips seemed to be stuck between a smirk and a frown, brows creased as he studied my face. Words slipped out before I even realized I was going to speak, desperation spurring me forward. I just needed to break through. Make a crack in the shell they had trapped him in.

    My voice was so raspy it hurt. “You don’t have to do this…”

    He didn’t answer.

    “Loki… please. You don’t.”

    Still nothing.

    “You said you trusted me.”

    “Well, I don’t.” The surety with which he spoke was a smack to the face and I blinked slowly. Processing. Then I huffed out a mirthless laugh, head dropping back to my chest.

    I still didn’t believe him. I didn’t. That didn’t mean pain didn't sear through my chest like someone had stabbed me with a hot poker.

    “For somebody who makes it a living to lie to people, you’re not very good at making people believe it.” It was so soft, I wasn’t even sure he heard it, and he didn’t do a thing to show he had.    

    Quiet was once again draped over the vehicle and time passed in a haze of sweat and exhaustion. When the truck finally jerked to a stop, I froze, having not even noticed the mutterings that had started up around us. Turning to glance out the windshield, my mouth went dry as I recognized Stark Tower. It brought back bittersweet memories, but nearly all were overshadowed by the clawing in my gut.

    Biting my lower lip, I held back a cry as I was yanked from my seat and lead harshly from the truck, arm screaming from the grip of one of Loki’s men. Part of me expected to hear him say something, as he had in the past, but the god stayed silent and we entered Stark Tower through the front doors. The rest happened quickly.

    The guards rushed us, pulling out tasers and small handguns, but Loki was faster, cutting through them with deadly precision. I called out for him to stop, unable to breath as red pooled on the floor. He didn't even pause, a rough tug nearly sending me sprawling to the floor as I was guided toward the elevator. Once inside, we started the quick ride to the roof, Loki, Selvig, and I in the middle while the goons kept us encircled.

    The sound of the final ding made me physically ill, the lump in my throat surely my heart trying to escape. Loki walked forward, a swing in his step, and pointed his staff at a relatively clear spot. A beam of blue light shot forth, creating a swirling pool that hovered about an inch off the ground. Ever so slowly it started to float up, the machine from back in the bunker appearing piece by piece.

    Once he was done, the damn thing gleamed in the late afternoon light, Tesseract a spinning cube of death at the center. The tears I’d been holding back pressed even harder for their freedom as I realized what was about to happen. This entire time, I’d known, but it was a whole other thing to see it. To be unable to stop it. So, in a last ditch effort, I did the only thing I could think of.

    Kicking my leg back, connecting with the man’s knee, I heard a snap I didn’t care to linger on before racing forward. Free hand wrapping around Loki’s arm like a vice. He growled, attempting to shake himself free viciously, but I wasn't letting go for anything. Not ready to watch him go, and _especially_ not down this path. “Loki! Listen to me! Don’t do this! It’s them, not you! Loki, _please_!”

    Glaring down at me, lips pulled back into a feral snarl, I didn’t see his other hand until it was already around my neck. Yanking my face close, eyes wide at the sheer rage shining in his, I already knew that this wasn’t going to end well. I… couldn’t see him anymore. Only the puppet.

    “Sorry to say, but your use has worn out. Not that you were of any use in the first place.” His words echoed in my mind as he launched me backward, and for a moment I thought I would hit the roof. But there was only air.

    A scream caught in my throat, terror seizing me as the ground rushed ever closer, and I fought to close my eyes against the wind. I didn’t even think I'd get to count to three before I’d be a red splotch on the pavement. That is, however, until I slammed into a pair of metal arms so hard I was fairly sure I felt my ribs explode out my back.

    Then, it wasn’t a sea of grey I saw, but the mask of Tony’s suit. The sound I made was weak, but alive. That was a start.

    The next thing I knew he was sitting me down on the balcony just below the roof. “Stay here.” His demand was hard, leaving no room for arguing, but even if I had been able, I'm not sure I would’ve. Within a second he was gone, vanishing into the sky to put a stop to Loki's plans… and the only thing I could do, it seemed, was hope that Tony wouldn’t kill the god in their impending fight. If anything happened to Loki… I…

    “Sarah!” The shout of my name had me whipping around, only for me to be tackled to the ground by two pairs of arms. Between them, I was sure my bruises would be doubled by the end of their crushing embrace, and that neither would ever let me go unless I begged. Even then it probably wasn’t going to happen.

    Still, I couldn’t help but slump in their hold, my own just as unyielding as I fought to control the trembling that had my whole body vibrating. I was thankful neither of them were crying, because if they started I wouldn’t be far behind, and the last thing I wanted right then was to fall into the hands of panic. At least not completely.

    Maddie was positively frantic as she pulled back just long enough to scan me over before burying her face in my hair again. “W-we- I thought you- Are you okay? Did he-”

    Shaking my head, I managed to wrestle free some words that actually made sense. Relatively. “No- it’s not him-... he didn’t know what he was doing! He-”

    “Sarah, he kidnapped you.” Cate’s voice was abnormally soft, since she was always loud, and I could only stare at her before grabbing her hands, lunging past Maddie’s body.

    I might've seemed more than a little crazy, but I did just get thrown off a roof. I had an excuse. It had been a rough day.

    “You don’t understand! I was right! He’s being controlled! He doesn’t want to do this! He-” There was an explosion above our heads, Tony flying backward to float over us. He didn’t address us, though I could barely make out his voice, and Cate quickly helped me to my feet. Maddie still clinging to me as my legs formed solid flesh again instead of jello. Putting a hand on her head, I pushed on her arm.

    “Maddie, I'm okay… we have to go." Okay, this was good. This was normal.

    “Maddie, let her go.” That was not. If Cate got any quieter I would probably shut down from the change alone, but thankfully Maddie seemed to catch on, huffing and slipping free.

    “Fine. But you best be prepared for a cuddle pile later. Whether you want it or not.” Somehow, despite everything that was going on, I chuckled. It sounded slightly unhinged… but I chuckled.

    I feel threatened.”

    “That’s ‘cause it’s a threat.” She smirked, which made both Cate and I relax. If it weren't for the immediate danger I would think we were just hanging out on a normal Sunday.

    Nothing seemed to be going my way today, though. Just as we headed for the doors, the sounds of fighting echoed down from above, and like a god descending… literally, Loki landed in front of us. We locked eyes, my jaw clenching while his lips just pulled back into a toothy grin that sent shivers up my spine. And not the good kind.

    Maddie got in front of me, hissing like a feral cat ready to tear into his pearly skin. “Back the hell up, Reindeer Games.”

    Cate backed her up while also shoving me behind her. “I will throw you off this building next, Horny. Fuck off.” A large part of me screamed to step out, to defend him like always, but-

    He only laughed, pointing the staff in our direction, and all thought stilled. “If it wasn’t so pathetic, I’d say it was cute.” They both tensed, ready to lunge for his throat, but I knew Loki would just kill them if they did. He was a god, we were mere unarmed mortals. It almost killed me to turn away.

    I latched onto both of them, taking a step back.  “Don’t. It’s not him. He won’t hold back.”

    “That’s right.” He took several long strides, each one matched with us taking one backward, until we were pressed back against the glass railing of the balcony. He towered

     over us, the manic smile growing bigger. Yet, he only stared at me, eyes daring me to deny what he said next. “Are you afraid of me now?”

    “With those looks, I’m surprised your own reflection doesn’t scare you.” Tony’s dry voice came from the side, all eyes turning to look at where his suit was currently being _removed_ from his body.

   I felt Maddie stiffen as Loki took two steps away and toward the billionaire. “Tony! What are you-”

   He gave her the most serious look I’d ever seen on his face, and for once she listened, though I could tell she was just as ready to tackle the god as ever.

   As if in sync, Loki and Tony moved inside, and of course we followed. Or more, I followed and the other two trailed behind, warning me all the way. I wasn't about to leave him to face this alone; Loki didn't deserve to burn for this.

    He only seemed worried about impressing the hero in the room. Letting out a dry chuckle. “Please tell me you’re going to plead to my humanity. I’ve heard so much of that as of late. It’d be nice to hear a new voice do so.” I tried hard not to flinch. I didn’t succeed.

    Tony, however, didn’t hesitate. “Oh, no. I’m going to threaten you.”

    “You should’ve left your armor on for that.”

    “Yeah…” Tony made his way across the room, Loki closing in. “Seeing as its got a bit of mileage and you’ve got the glowing stick of destiny.” There was a vague gesture to the staff, Loki glancing down at his weapon and smirking. The anger that welled up in me was vicious. I wanted to snatch that damn thing and snap it over my knee.

    Again. _Tony_ wasn’t phased. “Want a drink?”

    This made the god laugh. “Stalling me won’t change anything. I’ve already waited a month.”

    “No! Threatening!” Tony waved him off before turning to his bar. “No drink? You’re sure? I’m having one.”

    Loki turned on his heel, paying us no mind as I dragged my friends out of his path. The clenching of his fists told me all I needed to know, as did the fire in his gaze. “The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that. What have I to fear?” I did my best not to whimper, the cursed heat surging behind my eyes.

    Tony shrugged, pouring himself a glass of what looked to be borbon. “The Avengers.”

    Loki’s brows furrowed and Tony sighed before continuing, going slow as if he were explaining to a child. “That’s what we call ourselves. Sorta like a team; Earth’s mightiest heroes type of thing.”

    “Yes.” Loki instantly leaned back, at ease once more, the look on his face absolutely shit-eating now. “I’ve met them.”

    “Yeah.” Tony’s voice took on a harder edge. “Took us a while to get any traction, I’ll give you that one. But, let's do a head count here. Your brother, the demigod,” Loki shifted at that one, turning away, “A super soldier…”

    Looking between them, I barely caught sight of Tony slipping something onto his wrist. “A living legend who _kinda_ lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking anger management issues. A couple of master assassins,” Loki started to chuckle, but Tony pushed forward, pointing at the god, “and you, big fella. You’ve managed to piss off every single one of them.”

    “That was the plan.” Loki, I swore, winked, and even though he was pacing his steps were even and confident.

    Tony deadpanned. “Not a great plan.” Shaking his head, the billionaire walked around the counter and came forward. “When they come, and they will, they’ll come for you.”

    Loki's face fell, just the smallest amount. “I have an army.”

    “We have a Hulk.” Tony’s strides got longer, quicker.

    “Oh, I thought the beast had wandered off?”

    “You’re missing the point! There’s no throne! There’s no version of this where you come out on top. And maybe your army comes and maybe it’s too much for us, but it’s all on you. ‘Cause if we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we’ll avenge it.”

    With one of the best speeches I’ve honestly ever heard, Tony finished it off with a swig of his drink. Standing his ground as Loki stalked toward him, glaring daggers the whole way.

    “How will your friends have time for me, when they’re so busy fighting you?” The words came out hissed through clenched teeth, the staff hovering in the air before he placed the end against Tony’s chest. I froze, breath leaving me again for the seventh time today, and Maddie's hand tightened exponentially on my arm, Cate sucking in a gasp. There was a beat of silence.

    Loki visibly took a mental step back, lifting the staff and trying again. There came a soft tink, but otherwise, Tony didn’t flinch. The god blinked. “This usually works…”

    “Well, performance issues-” _Really, Tony? Really?_ “Not uncommon. A one out of five-” Loki’s arm shot out, hand wrapping around Tony’s throat, cutting him off. Maddie growled and started to charge, Cate and I holding her back because there was nothing we could do but die before him. Thankfully, Loki only threw him to the ground.

    Tony shoved himself to his feet. “Jarvis? Do it now…” He winced away as long fingers lifted him once more, Tony’s hand coming up to wrap around his wrist. Maddie struggled harder, to the point where I almost had to drop all my body weight to the ground to keep her still. I saw Tony shoot her a look, a whine leaving her as she caught it too. Yet… it worked somewhat. Her thrashes dying away.

    “You’ll all fall before me.”

    “Deploy!” Loki lifted him, Tony’s voice getting a tiny octave higher. “Deploy!” And then Loki threw him, the window behind them shattering as Tony flew head over heels. Maddie screamed, nearly covering up Tony’s distant yell that was growing fainter by the second. My stomach lurched, bile rising, as I stared at Loki’s back, begging for something I knew wouldn’t come. Begging myself to wake up from this moment which was anything but a dream.

    Yet, just as suddenly, there was the sound of something powering up, Loki whipping around just as Tony’s suit shot after him, nearly knocking the god off his feet. There was a moment of stunned silence, where only Maddie’s harsh breathing could be heard.

    Then, “And there’s another person you pissed off.” Maddie’s cry of his name was enough for the three of us. He could only muster a small wave as his voice wavered, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “His name is Phil.”

    My eyes blew wide, understanding immediately and hoping I was wrong. _What happened to Phil?_

    Loki tried to lift his scepter, but Iron Man was faster, blasting him backward with a flash of golden light. The staff flew from his grasp as he hit the ground, skidding right up to my feet. I acted without thinking, kicking it under the couch nearby.

    From outside there was a loud sound, very similar to that of a cartoon laser, and I knew it was too late, even before Tony looked up. There was a roar that shook the very foundation of the building.

    The Chitauri.

    Tony wasted no time in blasting off and we rushed to the window, ignoring the fallen god, though my eyes did linger on him a moment. We got there just as a hideous creature hurled past, explosions lighting up the street below. Even from all the way up here, I could hear the screaming. The cries. Each one made me want to sink to my knees; I didn't notice how bad I had started to shake.

    Glass shattered. Bombs fell. Monsters soared through the sky. I turned, ready to try and convince Loki again, willing to risk my life as many times as possible to break through. He was already up and gone, walking along the balcony, staff in hand, body encased in emerald gold before it revealed his armor, helmet shining in the sunlight. He raised his arms, as if to bask, and my mind flashed back to Germany.

    “Loki!” I shouted his name, but it was drowned out when Thor dropped from the sky, his armor silver to Loki’s gold. His brother’s name fell from his lips at the same time I spoke. Loki turned to him, something akin to disgust flashing across his features, and I wanted to scream, to shake him until he remembered that just yesterday he was willing to speak to Thor as family again. What had they done to him? Shown him? To leave him like this.

    “Turn off the Tesseract before I destroy it!”

    Thor please. Talk to him. Try to make him see. Don't just hurt him.

    “You can’t! There’s no stopping it. There is only the war!”

    Don’t.

    “So be it.” Three simple words literally ripped my heart from my body, smashing it beneath the rubble that was once my hope. Loki let out a cry as he lept for Thor, his brother meeting him halfway, and their weapons came together in a flurry of sparks. Blue mixed with the glow of lightning, until it became ever harder to watch. The building shook as one of Loki’s shots took out the Stark sign, the letters falling away into the streets below.

    The next reflected blow came our way, leaving us scattering as all the windows shattered. We barely had time to register the arrival of the Quinjet before it was blasted from the sky, Loki’s hand shaky from fighting but still accurate. Thor shouted, getting up from where he’d been thrown to tackle his brother to the ground, leaving the plane to spiral out of control.

    Another roar came, but this one was much bigger and more monstrous, like something straight out of a nightmare. Looking up, I decided I might as well be in one. A creature, the only way I could describe it being a space snake crossed with a shark, was swimming through the sky, body obviously armored to the teeth, which gleamed, sharp and deadly even from a distance. And there wasn’t only one, more pouring through the hole in the sky until there were around four. Each one slamming into buildings and leveling them to the ground.

    “What the fuck are those?!” Cate yelled at the top of her lungs, pointing as though we couldn’t see them, but I could only shake my head. I knew- Loki wouldn't talk about them much, but from what little he told me- it still wasn't enough to even imagine _this_.

    The monsters were in no way slow, snaking through the air and diving down into the streets below. The screams got louder.

    “Look at this!” It was Thor’s voice that brought me back to the scene at hand, my eyes focusing on Loki’s face, which, in many ways, suddenly looked terrified. The destruction of the city, despite only a few minutes in, was extensive. “You think this madness will end with your rule?!”

    Only Maddie's hand kept me from running toward him; I didn't want to waste this chance to wake him up. “Loki!” His head whipped to look in my direction, and I gave him a pleading look. “You can stop this! Right now! Fight back!”

    “It’s too late!” The words were barked out, and while they were still hostile, there was a hint of desperation as well. “It’s too late! We can’t stop them.”

    Thor took him by the shoulders, face softening as he finally realized he might be looking at the brother he remembered. “No… We can. Together.”

    “Loki, please!” Clutching at my heart, I put all my will behind my words. Loki, ever so slowly, relaxed, a relieved smile stretching over his face.

    Then, his hand jerked forward, driving a hidden knife into his brother’s stomach.

    I remember screaming as he laughed, watching Thor stumble back. He shook his head, “Sentiment… Still pathetic, brother.” Thor held a hand to his side, staring down at the red seeping between his fingers, launching himself forward, restarting the fight. Somehow, within three seconds, Thor had Loki in the air, throwing him on the ground, but that was it. Loki rolled off the side of the balcony catching a ride on one of the Chitauri’s vehicles.

    I fell to my knees, head falling into my hands. Why? Why wasn’t it working? Why now? I had so many questions, too little answers, and a rising panic that was determined to claim my entire mind. I didn’t want this. I wanted Loki to finally be happy, to get past all those things he thought of himself, and make a life like the one he wanted.

    “Fuck…” Cursing between clenched teeth, I barely felt a hand on my shoulder, heavy and warm. Summoning the strength to look up, the urge to throw myself off the building surged through my veins. Thor’s blue eyes, even still the color made me flinch, were shrouded in something tender, something unbearably gentle.

    “You did good.” Tearing into my lip to keep from sobbing, I shook my head and pulled away, leaving his hand hovering before it dropped to his side.

    Maddie got on her knees beside me, carefully touching my arm, while Cate faced Thor, completely serious. “Get going. They need your help.”

    There was the tell-tale whoosh of his hammer swinging, and the next time I glanced up he was gone, my friends staring at me with concern.

    “I’m fine… just-”

    “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.” Leaning in to wrap me in another hug, Maddie’s grip was very tight.

    “She’s right. If he’s not listening, that’s got nothing on you.” Cate did the same, poking me in the arm when I didn’t respond. “We might not have been with you, but we know you did your best.”

    Closing my eyes, I tried to listen, tried to convince myself they were right, blocking out the sounds of war that surrounded us. Which was hard when everything was exploding, but you know. It was some sort of progress. Though I still felt like my stomach was inverting itself.

    “But Sarah, what happened? You’ve been gone for a month.” Releasing me so she could move back, Maddie studied my face as I brought a hand up to rub at red eyes.

    “Believe it or not, nothing really happened. He didn’t hurt me. In fact, we… got pretty close.”

    “Sarah, he just threw you off a roof.” Cate deadpanned, but I quickly waved her off.

    “Trust me, just last night he- well, he wasn’t throwing me off any roofs, but-” Trailing off quickly, slightly embarrassed, I shook my head. “He’s been really kind, if not a smug asshole, but that’s his personality.”

    “Then why-”

    “It’s his staff! That’s how they’re controlling him! So long as he holds it there’s no way to reach him, and… and he won’t listen. They must have realized I broke through and…”

    I let out a shaky sigh, reeling myself back in. Running a trembling hand through my hair. “Guys, just yesterday he was free! He was going to come back with me! To make things right!”

    Maddie put a gentle hand over mine, squeezing it. A crease between her brows. “Then what changed?”

    “The staff… I wasn’t with him for maybe fifteen minutes, but something must’ve happened. He wouldn’t lie to me. He wouldn’t-” Again, my volume started to climb and Maddie swiftly pulled me back into her arms.

    “Hey! Hey, it’s okay. We believe you. Just slow down and breathe.” I hadn’t even noticed that my breathing had sped up, taking a moment to focus on my heart beat and do as she said. Nodding along, Cate took up what she was saying.

    “If that’s the case, then we just need to get the staff away from him right? And, you know, I guess throwing someone off a building is true love~ so…” I blushed a dark shade of red and she laughed. Some of the weight, just a bit of it, falling away. They believed me… That's all I needed to focus on. And they'd help me save him.

    I didn’t tell them about the… kiss, not yet, because I didn’t really think it was the time or place. Later, but that didn’t mean it was anything like true love. It was just… something he did to shock himself out of it.

    That’s it.

    Speak of the devil, Loki fell onto the balcony, accompanied by a burst of fire as the hover-car he’d been riding on erupted out from under him. Cate and Maddie jumped to their feet, moving in front of me as I stayed on my knees, still too emotionally weak to stand. Though, my worry over him surpassed any of that and I was up in two seconds.

    Cate’s voice, despite everything she’d said to me, was mocking, not that I blamed her. Loki was being… well, a murderous god. It was understandable. “You know, for someone who claims he’s so powerful, you get beat up a lot. Like, **_a lot._ **”

    She grinned when he slowly pushed himself up, glaring at her the whole time. He raised his staff, aiming it in our direction, and that wiped whatever confidence she had away. Then, a very close and very loud roar echoed in our ears and a giant green man tackled Loki through the glass beside us, raining shards upon our heads.

    Cate cried out in irritation, covering her face. “Banner! You asshole! Watch it!”

    “Banner?!” Looking between the two of them, cringing at the fact that Loki was once again getting the shit beat out of him, my brows creased.

    Maddie only laughed. “You missed out on a lot yourself while you were gone.”

    “I can tell…”

    “ENOUGH!” Loki’s yell made me flinch; we whipped around to watch as Loki faced Banner head on. “You are all of you beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by-” He was cut off as the beast grabbed his ankle, bashing him into the floor over and over again. I shouted, attempting to rush to his aid without thinking, but Maddie was the one who held me back this time. I could only thrash when the Hulk finally released him, Loki's whine a knife digging into my chest.

    “Puny god.” The Hulk spat before stomping off, leaving us behind. I thought, then, that Maddie would release me, but she only held on tighter while glancing at Cate.

    “Hey, remember where the zip ties are?”

    “Oh, hell yeah I do.” Cate clapped, an evil grin on her lips as she scampered away, returning not five seconds later with a white set. Approaching the god, she made sure he was significantly unconscious first before securing his arms.

    After she was finished, that’s when I was free to race to his side, pulling his head into my lap with trembling fingers. I didn’t yell at them, knowing that this was for his own good, but I knew when he woke he would easily escape the bonds. I almost wanted to laugh picturing his face, if only I wasn't on the verge of tears.

    Without glancing up, I jerked my head toward the scepter that laid nearby. “Don’t touch it, but get rid of it. Put it somewhere he can’t find it.”

    “No need for that.” The new voice had me curling around Loki protectively, hand fisting against his leather. Natasha only stared at me before shaking her head and retrieving the weapon. Honestly, had she tried anything, she might've had to hurt me in the process. Thankfully, and for some reason I didn’t understand, she was fine, and she left the room with it in her possession, never once looking back.

    There was a period of silence. I asked for some bandages, and they were diligently handed over. The cuts on his face, red and angry, disappeared under white gauze. After that…

    I took that peaceful time to trace my fingers down his cheek. remembering when, just a few hours ago, he’d looked at me with his forest green eyes so gently I thought that falling for him might lead me someplace less painful. It looked like I was wrong, but strangely enough, I didn’t mind the special residence he’d taken up in my heart. I’d get him back. That much I swore to myself and him.

    Then, the phone rang, pulling me out of my reverie and effectively throwing everyone into the room back into chaos.

    Maddie just had to be the one to answer it. “Hello…? Tony?! Where are you?! Are you okay?!” She was cut off for a second, her brows drawing together as her voice dropped just a bit. “What are you talking about? What missile? What’s going on? Tony?!” She suddenly screamed his name, dropping the phone with a loud bang before rushing back out onto the balcony. Cate hurried after her, giving me a look that told me to stay still and keep my eyes on Loki.

    I don't know how I could. Watching them, watching how Maddie searched the skies frantically before pointing at something, a hand covering her mouth before she fell to the ground. Cate pulled her into her arms as she stroked the back of her hair. I could see Maddie’s shoulders shaking with sobs, my own bottom lip trembling as icy fear gripped my spine. I had a feeling I knew what happened.

    “TONY!”

 

    The distant sound of thunder rolled through the building, and from outside the sounds of explosions all but stopped, leaving a dead quiet. It was almost as if the world was holding its breath, but still Maddie shouted.

    My heart clenched as my tears, after all this waiting, fell, and I got to my feet, sitting Loki’s head down gently to go to her side. Wrapping my arms around her and Cate, we stayed there like that, none of us moving, until I’m sure we all had cramps in our sides. We didn’t care.

    It wasn’t until Natasha burst back through the doors, a huge smile on her face, that we dully looked up. “We won! Tony’s back!”

    “What?” Maddie’s voice croaked in my ear before she wiggled free and stalked up to the redhead, practically getting in her face. “Where is he?” The words were hissed out between clenched teeth, and Nat didn’t push it, pointing behind her. Maddie raced away.

    Letting her go, knowing she needed to face this on her own and figure things out with Tony, I hurried back to Loki’s side as Natasha took a threatening step toward him. She glared at me. “Get away from him.”

    “No.”

    “You have no idea-”

    “I was there!” I shouted, cradling his head once more. “I saw what they made him do!”

    “Oh, not this again!”

    “You weren’t there! I saw him! I’ve been with him this whole time!”

    “Then why’d he show up?” I jerked around to see Tony, held up between Maddie and Steve, the Hulk lumbering along with Thor and a man who I assumed to be the famous Barton.

    "He wasn't going to! He was going to come back with me and-!" Tony only shook his head, and I winced, clinging to the god in my arms tighter. Why wouldn't they at least hear me out? “I won’t let you hurt him. You’ve won. Let that be it.”

    “I would never kill…” Stark trailed off at the harsh look I gave him before continuing, “As you said, we’ve won. I wouldn’t hurt him like that.” Leaving Maddie to help him to a chair, Steve came toward me. If I could I would've backed away.

    “Sarah, you’ve been with him too long.”

    That wasn't it. You don't get to tell me I have Stockholm and write him off. I could've left whenever I wanted. Shaking my head, my next words were a raspy whisper. "You’re the ones who don’t understand. You never did.”

    “Maybe not,” The man in blue dropped to his knees in front of me, staring me directly in the eyes, “but we have to take him into custody.” Swallowing, I had to look away, hearing him sigh, but it was Loki’s voice that pulled my attention downward, my eyes widening as they connected with _green_.

    I guess Tony was right before. He really did only need a good hit to the head.

    His words were gruff but underneath it all there was a hint of sadness and regret. “Let me go, Sarah.”

    “Loki- No, I-” He hushed me, shifting around until he realized his hands were tied, a frown pulling his lips down before he somehow freed himself, glaring over at Cate who just waved at him with a smirk. With that, he scooted away from me, and I was left to watch helplessly as they took him away. Head filled with arguments nobody felt keen to listen to.


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to tie off the first book!

   The door that led to Loki’s holding cell slid open silently, my footsteps just as muffled, and I made it to his cage before he ever had the chance to turn around. Placing my back to the door for one reason, though it felt like a thousand. I didn’t want him to see the water running down my face. I didn’t want him to know.

    “Sarah.” Everything froze, body running cold and warm at the same time, and I cursed my stupid heart for fluttering. It had been a week since I’d seen him, after all. It shouldn’t be like this. Especially with what the next few days would hold.

    I couldn't deny it, though. In some way, it was pleasant. Who would lie to themselves now? Hide that measly confession? I’d lived with the man for an entire month, spent most of my time with him. I couldn’t just write off my stupid crush like it didn’t exist. 

    “Loki.” My voice was more curt then I wanted it to be, but if he noticed he didn’t say. Taking this as a sign from the stars to go on, body to slipping to the floor, leaning against the door. There came the soft shuffle of feet; I moved just enough so my hair would keep my cheeks covered. Just to be safe.

    “Why are you here?” It wasn’t mean in any way, nor harsh. Just… gentle.

    I had to choke back the sound that threatened to escape. “Do I really need to answer that question?” 

    There was an expectant silence, the next words breathed out in a hurry. Afraid something would crack. Afraid that something would be me. “Loki, I told you I wouldn’t be leaving your side until I convinced you that you were a good person. This is me keeping that promise.”

    He sighed. Long and heavy. “There’s no need to keep up this charade. You’ve been gone-”

    “Loki,” his name was a furious whisper through clenched teeth, “don’t you dare say that. You know it’s not a charade. I had to go home and tell my family I wasn’t dead.” My tone softened on the last word; he didn't need to think I blamed any of my… close calls on him. Even when he threw me off the roof. Even when he tried to strangle me. None of those were him.

    That line of thinking was not his own, though. “You almost were because of me. You shouldn’t be here.” 

    “Well, I am.” It wasn’t hesitant.

    Another long time passed, and when I spoke again my voice was raspy, tears coming faster now, but my talent for keeping my voice steady was paying off. “Why, Loki? Why did you pick up that damn staff? You promised me.” I heard him take in a breath to speak, but I held up a hand to stop him. “And tell me the truth, because I’ll know if you’re lying.”  _ Just… give me this. _

    It was still, but he let out a defeated sigh, slowly starting to explain. A dull vibration running through my skin as he slid down the other side of the glass, our backs pressed together. “I ordered one of my men to remove the scepter and put it someplace until we could return. For some reason, he rushed me with it, and the only thing I could do was grab it before he ran it through my heart.”

    Staring at the ground, my eyes slid closed as I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Loki was good at lying, but his tone changed when he told the truth. I'd been on the lookout for so long… I'd never forget what it sounded like.

    Time was short, though. I didn’t want to get him into more trouble for coming here and speaking with him. The longer I was here the more likely it was that I’d be caught, but if he had decided to lie, then I wouldn’t have left till I’d gotten the truth from him. I wasn't unbearably stubborn for nothing.

    Honestly, though? I didn’t want to leave. 

    “Sarah, it is best if you stop this.” This time I almost didn't hear him. Words soft, gentle, as though he was soothing some wild beast he didn’t understand. Maybe I was. “I am not a person one should want to be around.”

    Oh, but I did. That was the problem, though I was the only one that didn't see it that way. “Loki… I’m not leaving you to face this alone.”

    “You will have to, eventually. Thor is taking me back to Asgard, and I doubt his father will give me a lenient punishment.” It was obvious, the avoidance of calling Odin his father, and my jaw clenched. Thoughts of the man who’d made Loki hate himself filling my head with profanities and curses galore. He deserved so much, I don't care about his lineage. 

    “I don’t care. I’m  _ not _ leaving you alone.”

    “I will never understand you.”

    I let out a chuckle that might've been closer to a sob. He didn't point it out. “I think I’m starting to figure that out… Loki?”

    “Yes?”

    “I really hate having the upper hand.”

*****

    That night, after I’d finally forced myself to leave his side, heart getting ripped in two in the process, I returned to the room I was sharing with Cate and Maddie. Walking past the common area, loud voices echoed out into the hall.

    Peeking inside, the source was found quickly. Maddie and Tony, again. My face twisted in a grimace. They’ve switched from banter to bickering. Thankfully, this one didn’t seem too serious. I managed to catch a brief piece of the conversation before I fled, letting the two of them work things out.

    “Tony! Close the gap between your beard or I swear I’m going to sharpie it in! Better yet, I'll use a tattoo gun and fix it for good!”

    “Does it really matter that much?!”

    “It drives me insane!”

_     Oh, that is true… _ She complained about it a lot, to the amusement of Cate and myself. It had become obvious in the two weeks after Loki’s capture that I had missed out on the growth of their relationship, and Cate had not been hesitant in sharing certain… aspects of their time together that left me snickering.

    Entering our room, I flopped down the bed across from Cate’s, earning a raised eyebrow from the blonde. “How’d your talk with Loki go?” When I only kicked the mattress, she chuckled, though the sound was apologetic. “So, about as well as normal, then?” 

    I nodded without looking her way. “Maddie and Tony are fighting about his facial hair.” 

    The bark of laughter was all to real this time. “It’s about time they talked about it. I don’t think she would’ve lasted much longer.” 

    This brought a smile to my face despite the weight in my chest. At least things were going right for her. She deserved it. “Yeah, it’s nice they’re getting along.” 

    “But Sarah~ They’ve done more than  _ get along~ _ ” That purred tone was all too familiar, face finally lifting from the pillows to glare her way.

    “What?”

    Eyes sparkling, she jumped to her feet and came to sit down beside me, waving her arms in the air while somehow still acting conspiratorial. “Well, you see, while you were gone, there was this one time where they went into his lab and-”

    My eyes widened and I scrambled to sit up, staring at her with a wide smirk on my face.  _ “They-?!”   _ Why wasn't I told this sooner?!

    “Yep.” She popped the ‘p’ and it wasn’t long before we were both left giggling, and even when Maddie stormed in we didn’t stop. Her questions landing on deaf ears. 

    It was nice, the brief return to teaming up two to one. By the time we were done, her hair was fluffed out and her cheeks were red. It didn't take her long to figure out what we were referring to. 

    How a day could start with so much pain and end fairly well was beyond me, but it was a good way to distract myself. Loki’s eyes haunting my mind in the silence.

*****

    I had no idea. None so ever, and that’s what made me  _ so angry.  _ I wanted to punch Tony. Scream. Just-

    I practically vibrated whenever he was around from the energy behind how bad I wanted to hurt him. How could he? 

    I hadn’t realized their relationship had taken such a dive, hadn’t noticed the way he’d yell and leave her hanging. Things had progressed from teasing battles to conflicts that would leave her staring at a wall for hours or writing poetry to get everything out of her system. It was hard to believe that in the few days since we’d been back, things had gotten so bad.

    If Maddie hadn’t already left to start her search for Spurnbok, I would have torn Tony a new one, as his new  _ ‘manager’ _ . But… she was already gone. There was no point. Besides, he knew how mad I was. It was quite obvious, even without words. Cold shoulder and harsh looks package deal.

    Though maybe I snapped at him from time to time.

    Now that I was officially working for Fury, though, everything else seemed to be coming to a head. My old boss was causing a bit of a headache, my parents were still too overprotective about the whole returning to New York deal, and Thor was finally determined to return Loki to Asgard. 

    It had, all in all, been a hell of a week.

    Now, standing on a bridge in the center of Central Park, I had to watch with clenched fists as Thor led Loki by a damn collar. Jaw so tight my teeth protested, eyes locked on the fucking  _ muzzle _ they had on him. To keep him from using magic, Thor said. 

    Well, he can take his excuses and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine for all I cared. I knew Cate and him were close friends now, but I still couldn't forgive him. Even for his ignorance.

    They were surrounded by the other Avengers and Phil Coulson, who had almost completely healed from his injuries he’d gotten on the Helicarrier. My mouth staying shut as people said their goodbyes. Whether that was because I was furiously determined or just furiously angry… well it was probably a mixture of both.

    It didn't matter. It would soon be time to fix this mess. Or at least try.

    There was one moment where my eyes connected with Loki’s before he looked away. Shame flashing in those beautiful eyes. I frowned, bottom lip suffering by the second.

    “Sarah… Are you okay?” Cate leaned over and whispered in my ear, voice low enough to not catch the attention of anyone around us. I was barely able to nod I was so stiff, wondering if what we were about to do was the right thing. 

    If Cate hadn’t caught me, then I’m sure I wouldn’t have involved her, but secretly? I was glad she had. I was going to need the support, and I didn’t want to drag Maddie along when she was already far off and searching for someone she needed to find.

    Last night, while everyone else was preparing for Thor and Loki’s departure, I had been packing a small bag of my own. Thinking that Cate had been peacefully asleep at the time. Of course, not thirty minutes later she jumped out and asked me what I was doing, scaring me so bad my heart nearly stopped on the spot. 

    She caught on quickly after that, so here we were, probably about to make a really stupid decision. But hey, a stupid decision got us into this mess, so everything should work out fine.

    That’s what I was choosing to believe, anyway.

    Glancing around, Natasha was whispering something to Barton, and while I liked them both well enough, the smirks on their faces made my blood boil. Cate put a steadying hand on my shoulder, but even my attempts at slowing my breathing weren't working. Go figure.

    “Alright! Get going then, Point Break!” Tony called, his voice grating on my nerves with his cheerful attitude, standing off to the side in an immaculate white suit. 

    Thor chuckled and nodded, holding out the case, the Tesseract, blue glow pulsing from time to time. Loki glared down at it, then at his brother, before latching onto the handle with as much frustration as there could be in a motion. 

    I tensed and Cate’s hand fell away as she prepared herself. 

    “Goodbye my friends! I will see you sometime in the future, I’m sure.” Thor’s bellowing voice echoed around the clearing, his eyes shining with compassion for everybody there except for Loki, who only received a sad glance. There were a few more called goodbyes.

    Then his hand twisted the mechanism on the case, Cate and I lunging forward before anyone had time to act. There were a few shouts, but otherwise I heard nothing, only my blood roaring in my ears and the sound of wind starting to howl.

    My arm wrapped through Loki’s just as a rainbow encased us, head jerking to stare at me in shock and something akin to horror, eyes wide. Feeling like my stomach was being ripped apart from the inside out, skin pulled taut, the only thing I could do was give him a wide smile, eyes glowing with determination as I held onto Cate’s hand for dear life.

    I would keep my promise. You can bet on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We pick back up in [Dark Darker Yet Darker World!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20204062/chapters/47874937) Come check it out!

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to head over to  
> [ The MSK Project](https://themskteam.tumblr.com/)  
> tumblr for more content!


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